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London’s mayor Sadiq Khan has announced new plans to improve licensing in the capital as part of plans to boost hospitality and nightlife businesses.
He said his newly published proposals for a London-wide strategic licensing policy would create a “unified and consistent” licensing system for the city’s boroughs and businesses, where each of its 33 local authorities currently has a different licensing policy.
London’s late-night venues contribute over £139bn to its economy each year. However, hospitality and nightlife industries have been met with various challenges in recent years, which the mayor says includes outdated licensing rules and complex processes.
Under his proposals, Khan would also be given the power to step in and personally review licensing applications with strategic importance or the potential to yield significant economic impact, such as large venues, festivals, temporary use of spaces before redevelopment, applications in a location of strategic importance such as high streets and that have an impact on the capital’s reputation.
A six-week consultation has also launched on the policy’s details and a new playbook designed to help boroughs and businesses involved in licensing. The government has simultaneously urged licensing authorities to take local strategies such as the mayor’s pro-nightlife ‘London Plan’ into account when considering licensing applications to support suffering businesses.
This follows the government’s announcement last year that it would grant the London mayor licensing powers to boost London’s after-dark economy.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “We want to continue improving London’s nightlife by encouraging later opening hours, supporting our nightlife industries and revitalising our high streets. Too often we’ve heard from pubs, clubs, music venues, restaurants and others that have struggled to get the licenses they need to succeed.
“That’s why I’m working to create a system that will end the ‘licensing postcode lottery’ and works for businesses, boroughs and Londoners alike. By making it easier to extend opening hours and expand what’s on offer at night for Londoners and visitors, we can continue to grow our capital’s nightlife offer and build a better London for everyone.”
