The mayor of London has been given new powers to overturn council decisions on pub closing times.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Westminster has given Sadiq Khan powers to overturn council decisions on early closing times for nightlife venues in an attempt to grow the local hospitality sector, with ministers saying they are allowing the London Mayor to quote-unquote call in licensing decisions for key nightlife areas in the capital.
00:25Of course, this announcement comes at a time when confidence in the hospitality industry has hit its lowest point in two years as rising wage costs, national insurance contributions and business rates hit the sector this month.
00:44If this system is successful in London, it could be extended to other parts of the country, such as Greater Manchester or the West Midlands.
00:55Sir Sadiq initially responded to this decision, saying the extra powers would allow us to do more to support the capital's pubs, clubs and music venues.
01:07Anybody who chose to live in Soho must understand the history of this area, surely.
01:12I mean, Ronnie Scott's has been here for a long time.
01:14The hospitality has been here for a long time.
01:16Our 30s have been here for a long time.
01:18Many of these pubs were set up in Victorian times or Tudor times.
01:22It's really important to understand £26.3 billion a year towards our economy is not to be sniffed at.
01:29But also, if we want to improve public services, if we want to have more nurses, more doctors, more teachers, more police officers, more social workers, we need the economy to grow.
01:40Just imagine how much more money we could bring into the economy if we had venues opening for longer hours.
01:45Imagine how many more jobs could be created.
01:47That means more tax, more national insurance, more coppers, more doctors, more nurses, more teachers.
01:51And that's why it's really important.
01:53It's really important to reassure Londoners it's not a one-size-fits-all approach.
01:57We'll be designating those parts of our city that are zones relevant to these powers.
02:03We'll be setting up where the powers are.
02:04But I think from today you'll see a response from councils understanding the contribution they should be making towards helping our economy grow, flourish and thrive.
02:13The decision also follows concern that London councils have been too cautious restricting the capital's nightlife by rejecting applications for things such as extended opening hours.