Westminster drafts policy to curb standing drinking in Soho

Westminster City Council has ignited a political firestorm with a draft licensing policy that seeks to discourage standing while drinking in central London's famed Soho and West End districts. The proposal, which is open for public consultation until August 9, recommends venues provide more seating and move to table service to curb "vertical drinking," a move the council says aims to manage overcrowding and excessive drunkenness.

The draft document states the council will "discourage excessive drunkenness and encourage the provision of more seating" and suggests sales of alcohol and food be by waiter or waitress service only. It also indicates the council will normally refuse new license applications for pubs, bars, fast-food outlets, and entertainment venues within the designated West End Cumulative Impact Zone, an area covering Oxford Street, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, and Soho. The policy argues that reducing opportunities for vertical drinking could address the underlying reasons for this restrictive approach.

The proposals have drawn immediate and high-level condemnation. Prime Minister Andy Burnham's office intervened, with a spokesperson stating that "busy pubs...