Westminster Council revises licensing policy after 'vertical drinking' row

Westminster City Council has published an updated licensing policy following significant debate regarding the term 'vertical drinking'. The policy, which licenses over 4,000 venues across areas including Soho and Leicester Square, was initially drafted to encourage more seated areas in pubs and bars, moving away from spaces catering to standing patrons.

Clarifying 'vertical drinking'

The draft policy, released in early August, suggested discouraging 'excessive drunkenness' and promoting table service with seating in place of 'open bar space that caters for high volume vertical drinking'. It also proposed that new licence applicants aim for 'a predominantly seated operation with fixed seating' and restrict customers from consuming alcohol while standing. This approach drew criticism from local businesses, the government, and the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, who described it as a 'village-hall mindset'.

In response to the feedback, Westminster Council has clarified its intentions. Tim Barnes, the council's deputy leader, stated that there was no plan to ban standing while drinking. He described suggestions otherwise as a 'wilful misreading of the policy proposals with clauses taken out of context'.

Calls for increased public services

The council's latest guidance, published on Monday, highlights that policing was the most frequently raised concern during the consultation period. The council noted a reduction in officer numbers and a halving of the Met's licensing team over the past year. Consequently, Westminster Council is requesting that the Mayor of London fund visible, dedicated policing in the West End during evening and overnight hours.

Furthermore, the council is advocating for the extension of night bus routes in central London and calling for Night Tube services to operate on Thursdays. They argue that recent cuts to transport services have made it difficult for people to travel home, impacting the viability of venues on nights other than Friday and Saturday, which have seen trade recover to pre-pandemic levels.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London stated that the number of officers in the West End had doubled and that a new Command Cell had been opened to improve intelligence sharing and co-ordination for street safety. Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police have been approached for comment.

Westminster Council plans to review its licensing policy annually in June and will establish an expert advisory group. The current licensing policy was originally drawn up in 2021 and needed to be updated by 1 October.