London mayor secures £300,000 fund for al fresco dining hotspots

The mayor of London has announced new al fresco dining and drinking hotspots that are intended to boost the capital’s hospitality industry this summer.

 

Sadiq Khan’s £300,000 Summer Streets Fund, first revealed in May, aims to enable areas across the capital to open-up this summer.

 

The fund will initially see streets in Lambeth, Hackney, Waltham Forest and Westminster boroughs transformed into open-air dining areas, ahead of new licensing powers being developed by government.

 

In Westminster, pubs, bars and restaurants on St Martin’s Lane will be able to provide open air dining and drinking, having previously done so during the pandemic. 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.

 

In Shoreditch, independent bars and restaurants on Rivington Street and Redchurch Street will be able to offer outdoor dining and drinking until midnight, with the roads designated as car-free on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the summer. Businesses will be able to apply for free licences for the first three months of the scheme.

 

Brixton will see 400 sqm of outdoor dining space accommodating around 80 extra tables and 400 extra seats for businesses in Atlantic Road and Brixton Station Road. Running on selected weekends, the roads will become car free zones until 10pm, with daytime activities including food markets, art workshops and live music.

 

In Leyton, Francis Road will extend its car free hours to make 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.

 

Khan said: “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, chief executive of UK Hospitality, said she was “delighted” at the significant interest in the fund from London boroughs and the swift decisions on the 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,” she added.

 

Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, said: “The launch of al fresco dining in key areas like Brixton, Shoreditch, Leyton and the West End marks the beginning of an important initiative that supports the recovery and long-term growth of London’s nightlife and hospitality sector.

 

“Creating vibrant, accessible outdoor spaces for food, drink and culture is a powerful way to bring communities together and boost local economies. We see this as a strong foundation — and hope it will grow into a city-wide movement that helps reshape and revitalise London’s nightlife for years to come."

 

The scheme follows yesterday’s decision by the mayor to pedestrianise Oxford Street, also intended to boost visitor numbers to the capital.