Westminster council proposes ban on standing and bar service in Soho pubs

Westminster council has unveiled a draft licensing framework that would ban standing and ordering at the bar in pubs throughout Soho and the West End, insisting that drinks and food be provided only by waitstaff and that venues increase seated space. The policy is presented as a way to curb excessive drunkenness and prevent crowding on sidewalks, and it also proposes to reject new licences for pubs, bars, fast-food outlets and music venues inside a "cumulative impact zone".

Mayor Sadiq Khan condemned the approach as anti-growth, noting upcoming mayoral powers that could intervene in council decisions. Licensing expert Philip Kolvin argued the ban runs counter to the social role of pubs, while Night Time Industries Association chief Michael Kill warned it could jeopardise the sector's financial health. The Soho Society, a preservation group, voted to challenge all new bar and restaurant licences and to review existing ones. Entrepreneur Sacha Lord echoed the criticism, comparing the proposal to Covid-era restrictions.