Mayor Announces New Summer Streets Al Fresco Dining Hotspots To Boost Capital’s Hospitality Industry
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced new al fresco dining and drinking hotspots that will allow Londoners and visitors to make of the most of the capital’s summer months.
Lambeth, Hackney, Waltham Forest and Westminster boroughs will see streets transformed into open-air dining areas, thanks to funding from the Mayor to boost the capital’s hospitality industry.
Sadiq’s £300,000 Summer Streets Fund will enable areas across the capital to open-up this summer and reflects the Mayor’s commitment to outdoor dining and longer opening hours ahead of being granted new licensing powers from Government to help boost the capital’s nightlife. The Mayor is keen to build on this early expansion across London in the years ahead, putting al fresco dining on the menu for all Londoners and offering more choice and more time for Londoners to enjoy the best the capital has to offer.
The first wave of successful schemes are:
- Westminster – After a widely popular al fresco programme during the pandemic, pubs, bars and restaurants on St Martin’s Lane in the heart of the West End will be able to provide open air dining and drinking once again. The iconic street will be car-free from 11am-11pm and al fresco licences available for up to 34 businesses. Plans will be brought forward to make this permanent in the coming months.
- Shoreditch – For the first time ever independent bars and restaurants on Rivington Street and Redchurch Street will be able to offer outdoor dining and drinking until midnight. Both streets will be car free on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the summer and businesses will be able to apply for free licences for the first three months.
- Brixton – 400sqm of outdoor dining space will provide around 80 extra tables and 400 extra seats for businesses in Atlantic Road and Brixton Station Road. Running on selected weekends, the roads will become car free zones until 10pm, with daytime activities including food markets, art workshops and live music.
- Leyton – Francis Road will extend its car free hours, making it a hub for street trading and a cultural meeting point with seating, outdoor games, late events and a weekend market. There will be further outdoor dining in the Leyton Midland Road as part of a summer event.
London’s hospitality, leisure and tourism are critical to the success of the capital and growth nationally, generating more than £46 billion every year* and accounting for one in 10 jobs in London. As temperatures rise and with more than five million tourists expected to visit this summer alone, the Mayor is committed to doing all he can to support these industries and in the last year the number of late night hospitality sites in London has grown faster than anywhere else in the country**.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:
I’m delighted to announce the first of many new al fresco hotspots across the capital to help Londoners and visitors make the most of our summer this year. With new car-free, al fresco dining in Westminster, Shoreditch, Brixton, Leyton there will be new and fantastic spaces to bring people together.”
“The schemes announced today are just the beginning and we’re looking to build on their success across London in the years ahead.”
“London’s food, drink and nightlife scenes are world-class and I’m determined to do all I can to help them thrive. With new licensing powers granted by Government being developed, I’m looking forward to doing even more – working with boroughs, businesses and the police to drive forward more initiatives like these. We saw what a success it was during the pandemic, and I want to expand al fresco dining further in the years to come, all part of building a better London for everyone.”
Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, said:
“There’s no place like London in the summer and today’s announcement will provide a fantastic opportunity for people to enjoy our incredible restaurants, pubs and bars. These new outdoor dining hotspots will bring our streets to life, creating new hubs for people to enjoy a drink or meal outside. It’s just the start of what’s to come!”
Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UK Hospitality, said:
“I’m delighted that there has been such significant interest from London boroughs in the Summer Streets Fund and that we’re seeing swift decisions on successful schemes.
“These initiatives can provide a real boost for hospitality businesses, Londoners and visitors to the capital. I’m looking forward to seeing the impact of this investment and even more Boroughs getting involved.”
Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, said:
“The launch of al fresco dining in key areas like Brixton, Shoreditch, Leyton and the West End marks the beginning of an important initiative that supports the recovery and long-term growth of London’s nightlife and hospitality sector. Creating vibrant, accessible outdoor spaces for food, drink and culture is a powerful way to bring communities together and boost local economies. We see this as a strong foundation — and hope it will grow into a city-wide movement that helps reshape and revitalise London’s nightlife for years to come.”