Row over ‘vertical drinking’ ban in Soho pubs continues as Sadiq Khan urged to ‘do more’

A ROW over a so-called “vertical drinking” ban at hundreds of London pubs has deepened, with Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan urged to “do more”. Westminster Council consulted on proposals to discourage “high-volume vertical drinking”— when large numbers of punters stand while enjoying a pint. Drinkers often gather outside popular pubs in London’s Soho area as it’s too busy inside Credit: Getty Its draft licensing policy said new venues should be encouraged to provide more seating and table service instead of open bar areas. Publicans warned the move could damage businesses and kill off the time-honoured tradition of ordering a drink at the bar. Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! The plans caused particular alarm in Soho, where many historic boozers are small and rely on customers standing. The council said the proposals were designed to prevent overcrowding, noise and disorder — not outlaw drinking on your feet. It came as PM Andy Burnham’s spokesman waded into the row to say standing up to drink a pint was “British life”. Now Westminster Council has called for more support from the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, to improve public transport and provide more police across the West End. The council said residents and businesses were mainly concerned about crime and poor transport links putting visitors off. It called on the Mayor to reverse cuts to the Metropolitan Police’s licensing team and invest in visible, dedicated officers across the area. Most read in Money The intervention came after Sir Sadiq accused Westminster Council of having a “village-hall mindset” in a post on Instagram. He said: “You can’t run a world-famous nightlife district with a village-hall mindset. “London’s hospitality and nightlife support jobs, culture and growth.” London’s Soho has long been a favourite spot for after-work drinkers. Large groups of punters are regularly seen standing with their drinks outside its packed pubs, many of which do not have enough room for everyone inside. The council’s draft policy also said it would normally refuse applications for new pubs and bars in the West End Cumulative Impact Zone. But this would not amount to an outright ban on new venues, as applicants may be able to prove that their plans would not add to existing problems in the area. Core licensing hours set out by Westminster Council end between 10.30pm and midnight, depending on the type of business and day of the week. Soho has long been famous for its late-night scene, traditional pubs and jazz clubs. Councillor Tim Barnes, Westminster City Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for growth and planning, said: “We want people to go out in the West End and have a good time. “Our guidance is simply about encouraging venues to manage their customers so people don’t pack onto pavements or excessive drinking doesn’t disturb others passing by.” He branded suggestions that the council wanted to stop people standing in pubs “utterly ludicrous”. Mr Barnes said Westminster oversees about 4,000 licensed venues, including roughly 500 pubs, and rejects fewer than 1.5 per cent of licence applications. A Sun investigation found other councils also discourage “vertical drinking” at new venues, including in North West party hub Blackpool. Comment now