Government Vows to Stop Councils Restricting Standing in Pubs

The UK government has pledged to revoke powers from local councils that attempt to prevent customers from standing while drinking in pubs or ordering directly at the bar. This response follows a report that Westminster council in central London proposed restricting "vertical drinking" and bar service in its draft licensing policy. The draft suggests that new pubs in nightlife areas might only offer table service and could be required to call last orders as early as 10 p.m. to mitigate noise. A Downing Street spokesperson asserted that "busy pubs full of people talking to each other is not a public nuisance, it is British life, and it is thousands of jobs." The government plans to grant new licensing powers to the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, enabling him to "call in" and overturn local council decisions he opposes. Khan has criticized such proposals as a "village-hall mindset" unsuitable for a world-famous nightlife district. He expressed his intention to use the forthcoming powers to prevent councils from overreaching. The draft Westminster policy also recommends discouraging excessive drunkenness and promoting seating, with sales by waiter or waitress service only, rather than allowing open bar space for high-volume standing. Pub and bar operators have voiced concerns that these restrictive policies could harm West End nightlife. However, Paul Swaddle, the Conservative leader of Westminster council, denied plans to ban standing while drinking, calling newspaper reports "confusing." He stated that the council does not intend to ban drinking while standing in pubs. The council also proposes to restrict the opening of new pubs and bars in designated "cumulative impact zones" within the West End.

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Busy pubs full of people talking to each other is not a public nuisance, it is British life, and it is thousands of jobs.