Summer Streets fund to return, Mayor announces

Fahad Redha

March 26, 2026
3 min read

Summer Streets fund to return, Mayor announces

The Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, has announced the return of the Summer Streets fund, “in a further drive to boost the capital’s bars, cafes, hospitality and nightlife economy.” £400,000 is available to councils across London to support local businesses to increase their al fresco dining and extend opening hours “ahead of another exciting summer in the capital.”

The Summer Streets fund includes grants of up to £100,000 for councils to help them deliver large-scale al fresco pedestrianisation projects, as well as smaller ‘pocket alfresco’ schemes of up to £10,000, to allow “cafes, small nightlife venues, pubs, and businesses, including live music and LGBTQIA+ venues, to expand outdoor spaces and welcome more customers.”

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This comes after the first ever Summer Streets fund last year which saw streets in Lambeth, Hackney, Waltham Forest and Westminster “transformed into open-air dining areas.” The scheme includes the return of al fresco dining and drinking to St Martin’s Lane in the West End and supported wide range of businesses and traders, increased footfall, and hosted events across multiple locations.

The new fund is “the latest move from the Mayor to support the capital’s vital hospitality and nightlife industries, which have faced a huge number of challenges in recent years,” City Hall said in a press release.

The Mayor is now consulting on “bold new proposals to strengthen licensing practices across the capital” following the announcement that the government would give strategic licensing powers to the Mayor. This includes a new London-wide Strategic Licensing Policy to create a “more unified and consistent licensing system,” working with boroughs and business across the capital.

Earlier this year, London’s independent Nightlife Taskforce highlighted its recommendations across ten areas to protect, support, and grow the city’s nightlife industries, including recommended improvements to the licensing system.

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About Author

Fahad Redha

Fahad is the Content Editor at EyeOnLondon, overseeing the publication’s editorial output across news, culture, and lifestyle. With a background in journalism from the University of the Creative Arts, he brings a broad range of experience from local London reporting in Kensington & Chelsea, where he held roles including motoring, events, and health editor. At EyeOnLondon, Fahad plays a central role in shaping content and maintaining editorial standards. His work spans everything from daily news to feature coverage, with a particular strength in motoring and events. He also incorporates photography into his reporting, adding a visual layer to many of his stories. Fahad joined EyeOnLondon in February 2021.