The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today set out bold new plans to improve licensing across the capital and support London’s vital hospitality and nightlife industries.
Sadiq has published proposals for a new London-wide Strategic Licensing Policy that would create a more unified and consistent licensing system for boroughs and businesses.
The policy is designed to support businesses and boroughs by reducing the inconsistency of licensing rules and regulations, where each of the 33 London local authorities has a different licensing policy. It would provide a set of overarching principles for the whole capital that will boost the economy and align better with the Mayor’s strategic priorities.
London’s wide-ranging night-time economy contributes over £139 billion to the capital each year. However, hospitality and nightlife industries have faced a huge number of challenges in recent years, including outdated licensing rules and complex processes.
Last year, the Government announced it would give licensing powers to the Mayor to help boost the capital’s night-time economy. The Mayor’s new Strategic Licensing Policy is at the heart of these proposed new powers.
The policy requires licensing decisions to promote the licensing objectives by:
- being based on evidence and avoid unnecessary costs and burdens for businesses.
- support economic growth, socialising and culture.
- support a wide range of cultural, hospitality and night-time activities.
- recognise the benefits of offering a range of well-managed activities after dark.
- be transparent and work closely with businesses to address issues.
Under the proposals, the Mayor would also be given the power to call-in certain types of licensing applications of strategic importance. This intends to allow the Mayor to intervene on applications that have a significant economic impact, such as large venues, festivals or temporary use of spaces before redevelopment, applications in a location of strategic importance, such as high streets, or that have an impact on the capital’s reputation.
To work alongside these proposed powers, a new London Licensing Playbook is being designed to help boroughs, businesses and all those involved in licensing. The new playbook will explain best practice and provide templates and approaches to ensure consistency across the capital.
Today a six-week consultation begins on the details of the proposed new Strategic Licensing Policy and the Licensing Playbook. The Government recently issued advice to all licensing authorities to consider the impact on the economy and encourage growth when making licensing decisions, ensuring more support is given to nightlife and hospitality venues. As this consultation is launched, the Government has published further advice to licensing authorities urging them to take into account local plans and strategies such as the Mayor’s pro-nightlife London Plan and his vision for Good Growth when considering license applications, boosting nightlife businesses who have struggled for years to get the licenses they need to thrive.
Sadiq is doing all he can to support the capital’s nightlife and last month the capital’s independent Nightlife Taskforce outlined its recommendations across 10 areas to protect, support and grow London’s vital nightlife industries. This included introduction of a new, London-wide licensing standard to modernise licensing and planning processes, making applications simpler and decisions more consistent.
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.”
Cameron Leslie, Co-founder and Director, fabric, and chair of the Nightlife Taskforce said: “Licensing emerged as one of the most significant structural challenges facing London’s nightlife. The Taskforce therefore recommended a clearer, more consistent London-wide framework, focused on evidence and proportionality. This would remove unnecessary barriers, support well-managed venues and give boroughs and businesses a stronger basis for collaboration.”
Kate Nicholls, Chair of UKHospitality and member of the Nightlife Taskforce, said: “London is home to some of our most iconic hospitality and leisure hubs, from the buzzing nightlife of Soho to world-leading theatres in the West End. These are strategic, economic priorities for the capital that should be treated as such and I’m pleased that this approach to licensing from the Mayor will deliver that. This consistent approach is much-needed to deliver economic growth, meet the needs of Londoners and satisfy demand from millions of international visitors.
Leave a Comment