The timing couldn't have been better. As London swelters in a heat wave, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announces new funding for al fresco drinking and dining.
The Mayor has put aside a £300,000 war chest to bring more outdoor socialising to the capital. Specifically, the funds will go to these four areas via their councils:
- Westminster: St Martin's Lane. In perhaps the biggest news, the ancient lane in the heart of Theatreland will go car-free from 11am to 11pm, allowing up to 34 bars and restaurants to spill out onto the street. This was trialled during the pandemic.
- Hackney: Shoreditch. Both Rivington Street and Redchurch Street will be able to offer outdoor dining and drinking until midnight. They will be car-free on Fridays and Saturdays through summer months.
- Lambeth: Brixton. Here, Atlantic Road and Brixton Station Road will feature more outdoor dining, along with food markets and live music. These roads will be car-free on selected weekends until 10pm.
- Waltham Forest: 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". Leyton Midland Road will also get some al fresco attention as part of a summer event.
The initiative is part of the Mayor's push to boost the capital's nightlife, which has been in decline for years. More fun for sociable Londoners, but also good for the local economy.
Not everyone will see it that way. More outdoor merriment equals more noise complaints. It's notable that Soho — traditional home of London night life — is not on the list. The area has become a key battleground between venues who want to offer street dining, and residents concerned about the disturbance.
Sadiq Khan is pushing hard on street-life, however. The plans were announced just a day after he vowed to press on with the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street. It's expected that he will also be granted new licensing powers from Government, allowing him to cut through red tape and overturn council blocks on new licensing.
“The schemes announced today are just the beginning," says Khan, "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."
