It’s time to ignore the Nimbys tucked up in to bed by 10pm and re-pedestrianise Soho
On Tuesday night I went to see Bright Eyes perform in Hammersmith. It was fantastic – but it was also all over by 11pm. Now, in fairness, the frontman was in pretty bad shape towards the end of the set, but it was clear fans would have enjoyed some emo warbling for even longer.
Not only was the gig done, pretty much everything else in the area was closed. Those looking for a drink before the tube home had nowhere to go, while those peckish for a meal were limited to some sketchy looking kebab shops.
It was a sorry state of affairs, with London tucked up for bed before Cinderella’s carriage would have turned back into a pumpkin. And even then, it was better than some areas of London.
This is a pattern repeated across London, but nowhere is it more pronounced than in Soho. The world famous area, with its plethora of bars and restaurants which attract tourists from around the globe, pretty much shuts down before midnight.
The reason? A licensing system used by Nimbys to put pressure on councils to make venues close their doors by 11. People – predominantly old and rich – who chose to live in central London, stopping younger people from having fun.
Perhaps one of the only good things to come out of the pandemic was the pedestrianisation of places such as Soho. Predictably though, local residents objected and the roads were returned to the cars of the wealthy.
It’s not simply a question of unfairness to young people – though it is for anyone who doesn’t want to be tucked up in bed with a Horlicks at 11 – it’s also damaging to London’s economy. Our bars, restaurants, and clubs are missing out on millions of pounds by being forced to turn away paying customers. They are losing important cultural power by enticing people to visit and live in the capital. The hospitality industry has had a torrid time with the pandemic and as the economy collapses under the weight of inflation and energy prices, it’s not a cheery vision for the coming months. Venues need all the help they can get, not rules which exacerbate their woes by restricting when and where they can serve customers.
This too is a threat to London’s international reputation. There is so much that is good about London and people rightly visit here from all over the world. However, if we see more venues being forced to close, tourists will naturally start to choose other cities instead.
For low-paid workers, it is also bad news, limiting their options. The current system is depriving people of working longer hours and thereby earning more money. Given that we’re in the midst of a cost of living crisis which looks set to turn into a catastrophe, this is needlessly cruel.
We can’t go on like this. We need to recognise that areas such as Soho are there for all our enjoyment, not just for residents. Therefore, rather than granting councils – which are too easily swayed by Nimbys – to control licensing, the system should be centralised for areas such as Soho and near large music venues. The Night Tsar should ensure that late licences are granted for venues in these areas and that pedestrianisation is the norm.