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Sadiq Khan tells councils to ignore NIMBYs and back late night opening and al-fresco dining to boost economy
10 April 2025, 08:22 | Updated: 10 April 2025, 16:44
Sir Sadiq Khan is urging councils to give the green light to al-fresco dining plans and later opening hours this summer - in a bid to boost the capital's nightlife.
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The London Mayor wants to see pubs and clubs opening later, and more outdoor eating plans, to help struggling businesses, as soon as possible.
It comes after the government announced a new pilot which will give Sir Sadiq extra powers to overturn council decisions to help the nighttime economy.
But LBC understands it'll need a law change and lengthy consultation, meaning it's unlikely to come in this year at all.
Firms are being hammered by the National Insurance hike, which came in this month after being announced at least year's Budget.
Sources close to the London Mayor said they hope councils will start giving the green light to applications now to help struggling firms.
They're telling local chiefs to stare down opposition from angry local residents who often bid to block the plans.
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A City hall source close to the move told LBC that councils were being overly cautious to try and stop legal challenges.
They said: "As the weather warms up again, there’s a real opportunity to support venues across London this summer who have struggled the last few years.
"Late-night openings and al-fresco dining can create a real buzz on high streets, as we saw after the pandemic. We want to work with councils to reap those benefits now, something that could benefit businesses straight away."
Deputy Mayors Justine Simonds and Howard Dawber have written to all London borough leaders and Chairs of licensing about the new licensing announcement.
The letter, seen by LBC says it's an "exciting moment for London" to help build a "thriving night time economy".
They write: "We are keen to work together with you to ensure the capital does all it can to drive growth and prosperity through our thriving culture and nightlife.
"We all want to see our city’s hospitality, leisure and tourism sectors have a successful spring and summer period.
"These industries have faced significant challenges with rising operating costs and the ongoing cost of living crisis that is affecting consumers.
"Yet London’s pubs, clubs, theatres, restaurants, hotels, and cultural venues are not only critical to our economy—they’re the lifeblood of our communities and a key reason people choose to live, work, and invest here.
"Growth is our shared number one priority.
"The London Growth Plan, jointly published by City Hall and London Councils, made clear how critical the hospitality and cultural sectors are to our city’s economy.
"Whilst much of London’s economy has recovered strongly from the pandemic, the hospitality sector faces significant challenges.
"We encourage you all to do what you can to support popular and exciting ideas like al-fresco dining and late-night openings during this spring and summer period to boost our economy and tourism offer in our capital this year ahead of the pilot coming in.
"City Hall will continue to champion and promote the best of what our capital has to offer this spring and summer, and we encourage boroughs to consider what more we can do now, together, to support these sectors over the coming months."
