The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced new al fresco dining and drinking hotspots that will allow Londoners and visitors to make the most of the capital’s summer months.
Lambeth, Hackney, Waltham Forest and Westminster boroughs will see streets transformed into open-air dining areas, thanks to funding from the Mayor to boost the capital’s hospitality industry.
The £300,000 Summer Streets Fund "reflects the Mayor’s commitment to outdoor dining and longer opening hours ahead of being granted new licensing powers from Government to help boost the capital’s nightlife".
A statement from the Mayor went on to say that he was keen to build on this early expansion across London in the years ahead, "putting al fresco dining on the menu for all Londoners" and offering "more choice and more time for Londoners to enjoy the best the capital has to offer".
The first wave of schemes are:
Westminster: After a widely popular al fresco programme during the pandemic, pubs, bars and restaurants on St Martin’s Lane in the heart of the West End will be able to provide open air dining and drinking once again. The street will be car-free from 11am-11pm and al fresco licences available for up to 34 businesses. Plans will be brought forward to make this permanent in the coming months.
Shoreditch: For the first time ever independent bars and restaurants on Rivington Street and Redchurch Street will be able to offer outdoor dining and drinking until midnight. Both streets will be car free on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the summer and businesses will be able to apply for free licences for the first three months.
Brixton: More Car Free Days on Atlantic Road on select weekends through to October, extending into the evening to support local dining and entertainment to benefit businesses and residents alike. From August to September, Brixton’s first “Brixton Summer Zone” will be available on Saturday evenings, offering open-access outdoor seating where people can relax with food, enhanced by live performances, workshops, and Brixton's market traders.
Leyton: Francis Road will extend its car-free hours, making it a hub for street trading and a cultural meeting point with seating, outdoor games, late events and a weekend market. There will be further outdoor dining in the Leyton Midland Road as part of a summer event.
Richard Wynne, owner of Callooh Callay on Rivington Street in Shoreditch, told CLASS: "It’s a huge boost for us as a business and for Shoreditch as an area. Callooh Callay will be tweaking our offering slightly to offer a much more substantial food menu as well as an al fresco refreshing Highball and Spritz menu along with our friends at Schweppes.
"We have been predominantly a winter-focused bar and with these changes we will now be able to stay competitive all year round."
Khan, added: “The schemes announced today are just the beginning and we’re looking to build on their success across London in the years ahead.
“London’s food, drink and nightlife scenes are world-class and I’m determined to do all I can to help them thrive. With new licensing powers granted by Government being developed, I’m looking forward to doing even more - working with boroughs, businesses and the police to drive forward more initiatives like these.
"We saw what a success it was during the pandemic, and I want to expand al fresco dining further in the years to come, all part of building a better London for everyone."
Kate Nicholls, CEO of UK Hospitality, said: “I’m delighted that there has been such significant interest from London boroughs in the Summer Streets Fund and that we're seeing swift decisions on successful schemes.
"These initiatives can provide a real boost for hospitality businesses, Londoners and visitors to the capital. I'm looking forward to seeing the impact of this investment and even more Boroughs getting involved."