Al fresco dining and drinks to return to London streets this summer
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced that outdoor dining and drinking will return to London this summer, with cafe’s bars, and other businesses set to open out onto the pavement and enjoy later opening hours.
The mayor announced on Wednesday 25 March that he would make a £400,000 Summer Streets fund available to support London’s hospitality venues this summer, adding that he aims forthis summer to be the capital’s biggest ever for al fresco dining.
The £400,000 Summer Streets fund will be made available to councils across the capital to support local businesses in increasing al fresco dining and extending opening hours.
Grants of up to £100,000 are available to councils to set up large-scale al fresco pedestrianisation projects, while smaller grants of up to £10,000 will be made available to ‘pocket al fresco’ schemes that willl let cafes, small nightlife venues, and pubs expand onto the street to welcome more customers.
This is the second year of the Mayor’s Summer Streets fund. Last year, the mayor made £300,000 in funding available to transform streets in Lambeth, Hackney, Waltham Forest, and Westminster into pedestrianised drinking and dining areas.
“It was fantastic to see Londoners and visitors enjoying al fresco dining across our capital last year, so I’m delighted to announce the return of my Summer Streets fund,” Khan said.
“I want our wonderful cafes, bars and restaurants to be able to expand outdoor dining and opening hours throughout the summer, providing a great experience for all and a real boost to business, especially with the World Cup set to bring people together.”
“I want this summer to be the biggest ever summer for al fresco dining in our capital’s history and I’ll continue to support our vital hospitality and nightlife industries, as we build a better London for everyone.”
This year’s Summer Streets fund will be open for applications in April, and local councils will be expected to provide match funding for grants.
A summer for the pedestrianisation of London
In addition to the Summer Streets fund temporarily transforming streets into outdoor dining and drinking areas, Khan has also made significant progress on broader and more permanent pedestrianisation schemes in the city.
He has announced that this summer, a large section of Oxford Street will be permanently closed to cars and pedestrianised.
The street, which is the busiest shopping street in Europe, will be completely pedestrianised between Great Portland Street and Orchard Street.
Transport for London (TfL) had been directed to remove traffic from this stretch of the street.
This work will involve the installation of new bus stops as buses are re-routed, as well as the provision of infrastructure to prevent vehicles from accessing Oxford Street.
A permanent redesign of the street following its initial pedestrianisation will progress in November 2027.
