Summer Streets Fund announced by Mayor
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced a £300,000 Summer Streets Fund to “boost al fresco dining” and extend opening hours for venues, restaurants, and pubs in the summer. This is in a bid to “grow the capital’s nighttime economy.”
The move hopes to “kickstart changes” across London, ahead of new licensing powers that the government intends to give the Mayor to improve the hospitality and culture sectors and support the capital’s nightlife. The Summer Streets Fund will be delivered in a partnership with councils all over London to support restaurants, cafés, small nightlife venues, pubs, late opening and businesses, live music, and LGBTQ+ venues.
“London’s hospitality, leisure and tourism remains absolutely critical to the success of the capital and growth nationally, generating more than £46 billion every year and accounting for one in ten jobs in London,” a press release from City Hall said. “As temperatures rise and with more than five million tourists expected to visit this summer alone, the Mayor is working closely with London Councils and has written to local authorities and businesses, encouraging them to create more al fresco dining and extend opening hours.”
A share of the £300,000 Summer Streets Fund is available for councils to apply for to work closely with venues and create new outdoor eating and drinking hubs or extend existing areas. This hopes to help them “cut through red tape and provide guidance and simplify processes to enable businesses to extend their opening hours this summer.”
The announcement comes following the launch of the London Growth Plan in February, in partnership with London Councils, to support high streets in the capital and enable local economies to thrive. It also comes as the government announces its intention to give the Mayor of London new licensing powers, allowing him to “call in” powers to review blocked licensing applications in nightlife hotspots, grant more al fresco dining spots, and “cut bureaucratic red tape.”
The Mayor is clear that this summer fundis an opportunity to work together this summer to drive growth and prosperity by giving diners, pub goers and those on a night out more time and choice to enjoy what London hospitality has to offer,” the press release said.
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