Westminster Council to ‘Better Explain’ Vertical Drinking Term Amid Calls for More Support

Westminster City Council has published a revised licensing policy following a high-profile debate about what it called “vertical drinking”, and has also urged the Mayor of London, Lord Sadiq Khan, to increase policing and improve public transport to help nightlife in central London.

Last month, the Conservative-run council released a draft policy that encouraged pubs and bars to provide more seated areas in place of standing ones, which drew heavy criticism from the government and London’s mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan, who said that you “can’t run a world-famous nightlife district with a village-hall mindset”.

The council has now reviewed its own approach to explaining and communicating licensing policy – taking on board feedback to better explain technical terms like ‘vertical drinking’ and ‘cumulative impact’ and ensuring the council’s desire to encourage growth in the sector and more varied activity.

The council committed to reviewing licensing annually in June and is establishing an expert advisory group to harness new ideas to support the development of the sector in Westminster as well as assessing the way evidence of the impact of licensing is considered.

The Council has also called for morse support after residents, regular visitors and local businesses raised concerns through a recent consultation on licensing policy. The council is set to publish a report on the consultation and a reviewed approach licensing policy later today.

Westminster is responsible for licensing over 4,000 pubs, clubs, restaurants and bars across some of the country’s busiest hospitality and cultural districts, including Soho, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and Covent Garden. Over 1,000 of these are the West End.

Throughout the summer businesses, residents and visitors were asked to feedback on the draft licensing policy. The report will show that respondents consistently asked for more support for licensed premises across the City and called for a more consistent focus on growth including calls for changes that would need new government legislation to change the way licensing works.

The top concern was the need or more policing so visitors and residents feel safe while on a night out. Police numbers have been reduced in recent years and the Met’s licensing team has been halved this year alone.

Key to reducing crime and anti-social behaviour is how difficult it can be for people to get home after spending their time in the West End. Recent cuts to night busses have worsened the problems and the Council has called for more night busses after hours.

While Friday and Saturday nights have seen some return to pre-Covid levels of business, other nights of the week have remained quiet and this has harmed the ability of many venues to remain viable. The extension of the night tube to Thursday night would provide a big boost to the viability of many venues and help visitors and residents.

The council is continuing to explore every avenue to support the hospitality industry but is calling on the Mayor to help in the areas where he already has control:

• Reverse recent cuts to the Metropolitan Police licensing team and invest in more, visible and dedicated policing across the West End – especially during evenings and late at night
• Extend night busses in central London
• Invest in late-night transport, specifically introducing 24-hour tube services on Thursdays as well as improved bus, taxi and private hire options, to reduce crowding at closing time and help people leave the area safely.

Alongside supporting pubs and clubs the policy will ensure that the city continues to support a wide range of entertainment venues like restaurants, cinemas and West End theatres.

Westminster City Council Deputy Leader, Tim Barnes, said:   “Beyond disagreements over policy jargon there are serious issues acting as a drag on our hospitality industry.

“A lack of investment in policing has left the Met objecting to many licensing applications over public safety concerns.

“People struggle to get home from a night out when late night bus routes have been cut and overnight Tube services are non-existent during the week.

We’ve spent the summer taking feedback from residents, the hospitality industry and visitors. We’ll take this on board and do our bit to support the hospitality industry but we need the Mayor’s team  to fund the services which make London a 24 hour city.”