Here’s how many ‘gold dust’ 24-hour licenses London actually has now

Some 16 years ago, 24-hour licenses for bars, pubs and clubs were being handed out in droves as the cure to boost the UK’s nightlife.

In 2010, the number of venues allowed to stay open round-the-clock reached record levels, with 1,000 venues across the UK revealed to have acquired one.

According to Home Office stats, London’s bars and clubs made up just 91 one of these, and as the years have gone by the picture is only getting bleaker.

Now, after sifting through council figures, Metro can reveal there are just 58 of these ‘gold dust’ licenses left.

This is despite the Mayor of London throwing resources to help rebuild the capital’s reputation as a booming night-time city once again.

So what on earth has happened?

Where are all the 24-hour licenses in London?

Metro went to every single borough council to find out how many venues in their area had a 24-hour license.

And what came back was a resounding: ‘We don’t have any.’

Despite being in the heart of London, Westminster Council only revealed five venues. But these are all casinos which doesn’t necessarily appeal if you are looking for a cocktail and a chat.

A few local authorities came back with surprisingly high figures. But hotels, off-licenses and petrol stations were included in many of the responses.

Greenwich Council came back with a list of 17 venues – but on closer inspection it was mainly off-licenses and restaurants inside the O2. There was only one pub – The Mitre – that seems to operate independently with a 24-hour license.

Redbridge Council came back declaring 10 venues, but none of them were pubs or clubs.

But it’s not all bad news. Lambeth Council told Metro they had more than 30 pubs and bars with 24-hour licenses. And although a breakdown of these venues was not provided, Brixton Storeys was granted a 24-hour license last April in a sign of good things to come.

Out of all of the London boroughs, Islington Council seems to have some of the most 24-hour licenses. They have 10 venues which offer constant service, including the iconic club Fabric and nostalgic gamer’s dream bar NQ64.

Is it even worth having a 24-hour license?

But despite having the holy grail of licensing permissions, these venues are not actually open to the public for 24-hours.

Why? Because it is incredibly costly, with additional fees thrown at businesses if they wish to serve the public past a certain time.

Alun Thomas, a licensing solicitor who represents businesses in London, said the late-night levy has put owners off of keeping their doors open.

Introduced in 2011, it gave local authorities the power to charge businesses which sell alcohol from midnight to 6pm to contribute towards policing.

There are many exemptions to the fee, including hotels and country village pubs, but venues in the heart of London need to pay up.

Alun told Metro: ‘The late night levy is on top of all the VAT and staff costs they have to maintain as well.

‘A lot of businesses would like to stay open later. But not only are the chances of getting a 24-hour license remote, but there are so many restrictions and obligations.’

Balans in Westminster could technically remain open for 24-hours, but their alcohol licensing does not extend past 11pm.

VQ on Fulham Road in Kensington and Chelsea also has a 24-hour license, but has strict restaurant conditions, meaning it is not classed as a bar, pub or club.

‘We can’t even get a license past midnight’

That is not stopping businesses from desperately trying to obtain one or, at the very least, get an extension.

Mark Fuller, owner of Sanctum Hotel, has run night-time businesses in Soho since the 1980s. He said when he first started most licenses ended at 3am.

But now many struggle to get licenses past 12am, and even arranging outdoor seating is an arduous task.

He told Metro: ‘If independent venues aren’t allowed to thrive, then you can bet Soho will just become filled with American sweet shops and other chains like in Leicester Square.’

But it is not just bars and nightclubs wanting to extend their licenses. Victor Garvey, who runs Michelin star restaurant SOLA, said he wants to extend his permissions by just one hour to allow diners to enjoy a longer time at the table.

But the chef said ‘there is no point bothering’ fighting for it to be approved after a licensing lawyer said how unlikely it was for it get the green light.

‘If businesses are now saying “why bother” and question their future in your area, you know you are doing something wrong,’ he said.

‘If you have a 24-hour license – defend and cherish it’

The few venues which do have the rare privilege of being able to operate for 24-hours are being urged to guard it with their lives as London’s infrastructure makes it ‘impossible to get one’.

Michael Kill, from the Night Time Industries Association, said: ‘For those places which already have a 24-hour license, they need to treat it like gold dust.

‘Don’t take it for granted. Defend it and cherish it.’

Over the years, many 24-hour licenses have been lost due to closures as the night-time industry suffered under Covid-19 lockdowns. And as they are not being handed out at the same rate as before, the numbers are only set to dwindle.

This year, the Mayor is set to receive new licensing powers from the Government that will allow him to set a London-wide strategic licensing policy and ‘call in’ powers to decide licensing applications of strategic importance, such as for key nightlife venues and supporting more al fresco dining.

But Michael admits that even having a 24-hour license does not automatically mean great success.

He said: ‘The infrastructure is not there to support these types of licenses. Past a certain time, customers will have to rely on cabs to get home which are expensive, meaning people stay out less anyway.

‘All the stakeholders need to be brought together to deliver consistent operating hours, then we can think about rivalling New York and Berlin as a 24-hour city.’

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London told Metro: ‘The Mayor currently has no powers over licensing in the capital, however this is set to change this year with the introduction of new licensing powers from Government that will help to cut red tape for businesses and unlock the potential of our capital’s nightlife.’

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