From 3 November the Mayor can call in big licensing cases after Lewisham decides: large venues, live music, late hours. What it means for The Den, Goldsmiths.
A licensing decision by Lewisham Council is no longer certain to be the last word. From Tuesday 3 November, the Mayor of London can call in licensing applications of strategic importance to the capital after the borough has decided them, and make the final decision himself.
City Hall says it is the first time a UK mayor has been able to decide a licensing application directly. The power was granted by the Government. Sadiq Khan called it “the beginning of a new era for London’s nightlife”.
Which kinds of application it covers
The Mayor’s office says the power is for applications that can be defined as strategically important to London’s economy and its reputation as a global city. Its examples are:
- large venues
- live music
- later opening hours
- major events and festivals
Two applications now on Lewisham’s register of current licensing applications fall within those headings: Millwall’s bid to raise The Den’s licensed capacity from 14,999 to 19,999, with comments due by 9 November, and Goldsmiths Students’ Union’s request to hold events until 4am in New Cross, with comments due by 18 November.
Whether either would meet the test is not known. The Mayor can step in only on applications that meet the Government’s criteria, and City Hall’s announcement does not set those criteria out or name any case it intends to call in. Both will be decided by Lewisham first.
What else City Hall now does
The call-in power is the last of several licensing roles the Government has given the Mayor. According to the release:
- Lewisham and every other borough must consult the Mayor when it revises its licensing policy
- City Hall receives all licensing applications and can make formal representations to licensing committees
- the Mayor must publish a London-wide Strategic Licensing Policy
A draft of that policy went out to public consultation earlier this year. City Hall says the Mayor will “shortly” consider the responses and set his final policy “later this year”. It says the aim is a licensing system that is “consistent and supportive of London’s culture, hospitality, events and nightlife”.
What the Mayor and others said
Sadiq Khan said: “From today, thanks to the Government, I can step in and make decisions on licensing applications of particular importance for our economy, reputation and nightlife, allowing me to back the venues that make our high streets and communities thrive and help cement our city’s nightlife reputation, while keeping people safe and listening to communities.”
He added: “I’m looking forward to setting a new direction for our capital’s life at night, creating a more strategic and consistent approach to licensing.”
Angela Rayner, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, visited a music venue with the Mayor to mark the change. She said: “Nightlife is about so much more than a good night out. The musicians on stage, the staff behind the bar, the small businesses that depend on them: that’s jobs, that’s growth, and a big part of what makes London the world-famous city it is.”
Mark Davyd, founder and chief executive of the Music Venue Trust, said: “This is a significant step forward for live music across the capital, offering the opportunity for a consistent, robust, and constructive licensing process.”
Kate Nicholls, chair of UKHospitality, said the sector already employs “half a million Londoners”. She led the Government’s licensing sprint, which recommended the changes, and said: “it’s encouraging that some of the most significant are being introduced so swiftly.”
Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, said: “For too long, outdated and fragmented licensing processes have held back investment, innovation and growth across the capital’s night-time economy.”
City Hall puts the value of London’s nightlife at more than £21bn a year. It says the sector has faced “inconsistent licensing rules and complex processes”.
What it means for you
Nothing changes about how you comment on a Lewisham application. City Hall says the four licensing objectives stay the same: preventing crime and disorder, public safety, preventing public nuisance and protecting children from harm. It says residents will still be able to have their say, the impact on different communities will be considered, and rights of appeal will remain.
To comment on an application, write to licensing@lewisham.gov.uk with your full name and postal address before the date shown on the council’s register. Comments without a full address are treated as invalid. If objections are not resolved, councillors decide at a licensing sub-committee hearing, as they did for the Millwall Café on Bolina Road and the Railway Tavern on Southend Lane.
For a business planning a large event or a later licence, the Mayor’s office points to the London Growth Plan for its wider approach. We will report the final Strategic Licensing Policy when it is published.
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