London Mayor Announces Return of Summer Streets Fund with £400,000 Boost for the Capital’s Hospitality Sector
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced the return of his ‘Summer Streets’ fund in a further drive to boost the capital’s bars, cafes, hospitality and nightlife economy.
The Mayor is making £400,000 available to councils across the capital to support local businesses to increase al fresco dining and extend opening hours ahead of another exciting summer in the capital, which will include Londoners uniting in bars and clubs to watch the men’s football World Cup.
The fund includes grants of up to £100,000 for councils to help deliver large-scale al fresco pedestrianisation projects, as well as smaller ‘pocket alfresco’ schemes of up to £10,000 allowing cafes, small nightlife venues, pubs, and businesses, including live music and LGBTQIA+ venues, to expand outdoor spaces and welcome more customers.
It follows the first ever Summer Streets fund last year, when streets in Lambeth, Hackney, Waltham Forest and Westminster were transformed into open-air dining areas. The scheme, which included the return of al fresco dining and drinking to St Martin’s Lane in the heart of the West End, supported a wide range of businesses and traders, increased footfall and hosted community-led events across the locations.
The new funding is the latest move from the Mayor to support the capital’s vital hospitality and nightlife industries, which have faced a huge number of challenges in recent years.
The Mayor is currently consulting on bold new proposals to strengthen licensing practices across the capital, after the Government announced it would give strategic licensing powers to the Mayor. The plans include a new London-wide Strategic Licensing Policy that would create a more unified and consistent licensing system, working with boroughs and businesses across the city. Earlier this year the capital’s independent Nightlife Taskforce outlined its recommendations across 10 areas to protect, support and grow London’s vital nightlife industries, including recommending improvements to the licensing system.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “It was fantastic to see Londoners and visitors enjoying al fresco dining across our capital last year, so I’m delighted to announce the return of my Summer Streets fund. I want our wonderful cafes, bars and restaurants to be able to expand outdoor dining and opening hours throughout the summer, providing a great experience for all and a real boost to business, especially with the World Cup set to bring people together. I want this summer to be the biggest ever summer for al fresco dining in our capital’s history and I’ll continue to support our vital hospitality and nightlife industries, as we build a better London for everyone.”
Kate Nicholls, Chair of UKHospitality, said: “With a huge summer of sport ahead of us, it’s great that the Mayor is bringing back his Summer Street Fund to support London’s hospitality businesses.
“We saw the success of the scheme last year, helping to drive footfall and boost trade for our local pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants. I encourage boroughs to move quickly to take advantage of this fund to once again make Summer Streets a success.”
Michael Kill, CEO, Night Time Industries Association, said: “The Night Time Industries Association strongly welcomes the Mayor of London’s Summer Streets campaign and the dedicated fund supporting its delivery. At a time when hospitality and nightlife businesses continue to face significant economic pressures, targeted investment like this is essential.
“This initiative not only helps businesses maximise the vital summer trading period, but also reinforces London’s position as a world-leading cultural and night-time destination—supporting an industry that underpins jobs, tourism, and community life across the capital. We look forward to working with the Mayor and boroughs to ensure this funding delivers lasting impact and becomes the foundation for long-term growth and recovery.”
Georgina Wald, Corporate Communications Manager at Fuller, Smith & Turner PLC, said: “It’s good to see the Mayor taking steps to make life easier for pubs and the wider hospitality sector. The challenges facing hospitality at the moment are well documented and we welcome measures that make it easier to make the most of the opportunities that present themselves.”