London mayor to override opposition to outdoor dining in Soho next summer
Sadiq Khan will use new powers to overturn Westminster council's decision and allow restaurants in Soho to seat customers outside from summer 2027.
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, plans to override opposition to al fresco dining in Soho after the local council failed to apply to a scheme for seasonal pedestrianisation that is being introduced across the capital this summer. From 2027, restaurants in London’s entertainment district will be allowed to put chairs outside in the warmer months despite a longstanding local row on the issue.
Khan announced on Monday that 13 London boroughs had received a share of nearly £500,000 to bring outdoor dining, events and extended opening hours to their streets throughout the summer and into autumn. However, this year, pedestrianisation has been resisted in Soho despite the area having a very popular al fresco dining scheme during the Covid-19 pandemic. Westminster council has since opposed allowing an expansion of outdoor dining in summer. Sources close to Khan said that new powers would allow him to overrule the council for the summer of 2027.
When people were able to socialise outdoors during the pandemic, Soho resembled continental Europe as temporary permits and road closures allowed venues to spill out into the streets. However, the Soho Society, a residents’ group, complained about the noise caused by people drinking and dining outside, and the council wound up the scheme.
Khan said his new powers from government would allow him to overrule council decisions and open up central London to outdoor dining in the summer. A source close to the mayor said: “Opening up our streets to al fresco dining and other events should be at the heart of supporting our brilliant hospitality venues over the summer and autumn. Yet the attitude of too many influential people around Soho is that bringing more fun and socialising to our streets is something to be thwarted and blocked.”
The areas in London that will receive funding from the mayor’s office to create outdoor events include four large “al fresco projects” in Barking and Dagenham, Brent, Greenwich and Lambeth. In Barking, Short Blue Place will become a street food market with performances. In Brent, Wembley High Road, Ealing Road and Kingsbury will host al fresco dining and more than 40 events. In Greenwich, General Gordon Square, Beresford Square and Powis Street will have screenings, markets, performances and late opening. In Lambeth, Lower Marsh will be closed to traffic every Saturday from 9am to 9pm.
Eleven smaller “pocket” schemes in Brent, Camden, Ealing, Haringey, Hounslow, Islington, Lewisham, Newham, Sutton and Waltham Forest have received up to £10,000 each to deliver food and drink night markets, summer sessions with DJs and live music, and family-friendly events. These schemes are voluntary and supported by local councils, but Khan will be able to use new powers to open up more of London to outdoor dining by next year.
Kate Nicholls, the chair of UKHospitality, an industry association, said: “It’s fantastic to see so many London boroughs taking advantage of the mayor’s summer streets fund. From food markets and al fresco dining to World Cup screenings, it shows the power of hospitality to drive activity and bring our communities together.”
