Westminster is at the heart of London’s diverse hospitality and visitor economy. Including world leading restaurants, theatres and immersive experiences. It is vital that we find the right balance between residents, visitors and businesses.
A Plan to bolster Westminster’s nightlife has been launched, and the public is being asked to have their say. Westminster City Council said the draft strategy, called Westminster After Dark, was a road map to balancing the late-night economy with the needs of residents and businesses.
Key recommendations include:
• All new licensed venues will need to show they are prioritising women’s safety, with a zero-tolerance approach to harassment and predatory behaviour.
• Encouraging non-alcohol-led activities at night, such as extended retail hours and later museum openings
• Setting up Westminster’s first Late-Night Entertainment Zones on Oxford Street, The Strand, and Victoria Street to encourage music, theatre, and creative venues to set up on wide streets with good transport links and few residents.
• Prioritising support and protection for culturally significant LGBTQ+ spaces, ensuring they continue to thrive as safe and inclusive venues.
• Lobbying Transport for London (TfL) to restore night bus services and expand safe, reliable transport options after dark.
• Creating opportunities for our residents to work in Westminster’s thriving hospitality, creative, and cultural industries
• Encouraging venues to host sensory-friendly ‘quiet nights’ with reduced noise levels, dimmed lighting, and designated calm zones (to provide venues for neurodiverse people to enjoy Westminster After Dark).
The plan addresses some much-needed areas of local policy in Westminster, but local Conservatives are worried that it may be ineffective.
But it’s crucial that residents and local businesses make their views known so we can find the right mix and have a clear path for the future of our City.
We would encourage you to find out more via the Council's website and make sure you have your say in the official consultation online.
Feel free to share your thoughts with us too, by completing the form below.