Pubs in Westminster could soon be urged to discourage ordering at the bar

Westminster Council has announced new proposals to ‘discourage’ bar service and standing while drinking.

Pubs and bars in the heart of London have been left infuriated after finding out the council, which oversees Soho and the West End, is trying to encourage less ‘vertical drinking’ and more table service.

This includes more tables and chairs in place of an open bar space, and the sale of alcohol to be done through waiters only. 

The draft policy, which is currently in the consultation stage, says pubs should: ‘Discourage excessive drunkenness and encourage the provision of more seating in premises that serve alcohol for people to sit and enjoy a drink and order food by table service in place of open bar space that caters for high volume vertical drinking.’

It also recommends that the sale of alcohol and food should be ‘by waiter and waitress service only’.

Sacha Lord, who was Andy Burnham’s Greater Manchester night-time adviser, told Metro: ‘When I first saw the draconian measures that Westminster are looking to implement, my jaw hit the ground.

‘Banning vertical drinking and bringing in table service only, feels like we are being dragged back into the Covid period. Westminster have a responsibility to support its nightlife and from where I am, they seem to be trying to kill it off.’

The plans also reveal a stop to the opening of all new bars and pubs in the ‘cumulative impact zone’.

A source from the London Business Alliance told Metro: ‘While standing is one issue, the entire area will die in five years if nothing new is allowed to open.’

This zone covers the majority of Soho and the West End, which are two of the largest nightlife districts in the UK.

The policy reads: ‘The council will normally refuse any application made in respect of a premises located in the West End Cumulative Impact Zone that is a pub or bar, a fast food premises or a venue offering music, dancing and similar entertainment.’

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has described the policies as ‘anti-growth’, after previously accusing ‘influential people in Soho’ of ‘thwarting fun’.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: ‘This is more evidence that restrictive and anti-growth policies aren’t working. At a time when venues need our support more than ever, the rules on licensing are stacked against them.

‘That’s why the new powers the Mayor is getting from Government are so important, as they mean the Mayor will be able to call in licensing decisions and have a say in local policies to protect London’s vital nightlife and hospitality industries.’

Could people outside of London be affected?

But it is not just those in London who may be affected. Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, added that other licencing authorities often copy Westminster Council.

Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, said: ‘Standing in pubs has always been part of Britain’s pub culture. It’s how people meet friends, watch live sport, wait to be served and enjoy the unique atmosphere that pubs have provided for generations.

‘Westminster is one of the country’s most influential licensing authorities. The policies it adopts are often watched closely by other councils, making this consultation far more significant than a local issue.’

Councillor Tim Barnes, Westminster City Council deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Growth and Planning, said: ‘We want people to go out in the West End and have a good time. Our guidance is simply about encouraging venues to manage their customers so people don’t pack onto pavements or excessive drinking doesn’t disturb others passing by.

‘The Cumulative Impact Zone is recognized as an area that has a high concentration of activity and particular policies exist for that in Westminster and the Mayor’s London-wider planning. There is a legal obligation to look at every application on its merits and we do just that, meaning we see new venues opening all the time.

‘We are the country’s largest planning authority with some 4,000 licensed venues. We reject less than 1.5% of license applications and there is a strong desire to see thriving, profitable, venues across Westminster.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@usnewsrank.com.

For more stories like this, check our news page.