Curbs on vertical drinking in Soho pubs to go ahead as Khan criticises Westminster’s ‘breathtaking arrogance’

Published September 8, 2026 · Category: News

Overview

Exclusive: London mayor accuses council of ‘breathtaking arrogance’ in ‘ignoring’ responses to a consultation

Sadiq Khan has criticised the “breathtaking arrogance” of Westminster council, which has kept restrictions on vertical drinking in Soho and an effective ban on new bars and pubs in the area.

Details

The mayor of London has accused the Conservative-led council of “ignoring” the responses to a consultation into its new licensing policy. The vast majority of respondents, 81%, disagreed with the council’s “cumulative impact zone” which decrees that applications for bars and pubs in the West End of London, one of Europe’s most famous nightlife districts, will be refused unless in exceptional circumstances. Eighty-four per cent said the licensing policy would be bad for business.

Source

Originally published at www.theguardian.com.

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