The very moment that the temperature in London even begins to creep into the double digits, I have just one thing on my mind: being outdoors. Now, please don’t get it twisted. I most certainly don’t mean that in the ‘outdoorsy’ sense. I shan’t be hiking up a mountain or plunging myself into ice cold water anytime soon (although each to their own, and all that). I’m talking about being sat outside in the sunshine, for hours on end, with a glass of white wine in one hand, some sort of picky-bit in the other, yapping with my pals. And it seems as though the Mayor of London might have actually read the room on this one, as he recently announced a hefty new fund to help boost al-fresco summer socialising in the capital city.
The Mayor of London’s Summer Streets Fund
The Summer Streets Fund was announced by Sadiq Khan last month, following the government giving him new strategic licensing powers. In a bid to boost the capital’s hospitality, culture and nightlife this summer, the £300,000 pilot fund will go towards directly supporting the al-fresco areas of restaurants, cafes, small nightlife venues, pubs, live music venues, and LGBTQ+ venues. And the first London locations to get their hands on a bit of the funding have just been revealed.
How will the Summer Streets Fund work?
Various councils applied for a share of the fund to work closely with their local venues. The money will help create new outdoor eating and drinking areas, enhance existing spaces, and help ‘cut through red tape’ that currently stands in the way of extending opening hours.
With over 5 million tourists set to descend upon the capital city this summer, London’s hospitality, leisure and tourism sector continues to be crucial to the economic success of the capital city and beyond. The unveiling of the Summer Streets Fund follows the London Growth Plan that was launched in February. In partnership with London Council’s, the growth plan aims to boost the city’s high streets and enable local economies to thrive.
Which London areas will be the first to get the funding?
The first London locales to be treated to a figurative wad of cash to go towards their al-fresco dining scenes are Brixton, Leyton, Shoreditch, and Westminster. These areas submitted successful applications and will receive their financial support in the first wave of funding.
In Westminster, the funding will go towards St Martin’s Lane becoming car-free from 11am-11pm and giving 34 businesses the chance to snap up an al-fresco license. In Shoreditch, for the very first time ever, bars and restaurants on Rivington Street and Redchurch Street will be able to offer outdoor dining and drinking until midnight.
In Brixton, the money will be used to create a 400 square-metre dining space that will provide room for approximately 80 extra tables and 400 extra seats – and Atlantic Road and Brixton Station Road will become care-free on selected dates to make way for the likes of food markets and live music. And finally, Leyton is set to use the funding to extend the car-free hours on Francis Road, creating a hub for street trading and a cultural meeting point for locals.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m delighted to announce the first of many new al fresco hotspots across the capital to help Londoners and visitors make the most of our summer this year. With new car-free, al fresco dining in Westminster, Shoreditch, Brixton, Leyton there will be new and fantastic spaces to bring people together.
“London’s food, drink and nightlife scenes are world-class and I’m determined to do all I can to help them thrive. With new licensing powers granted by Government being developed, I’m looking forward to doing even more – working with boroughs, businesses and the police to drive forward more initiatives like these. We saw what a success it was during the pandemic, and I want to expand al fresco dining further in the years to come, all part of building a better London for everyone.”