London Mayor unveils new £300,000 ‘Summer Streets’ fund

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced a new £300,000 Summer Streets fund to boost al fresco dining and extend opening hours for pubs, restaurants and venues, in summer 2025.

The fund will be delivered in partnership with councils across the city to support restaurants, cafes, small nightlife venues, pubs, late opening and businesses, including live music and LGBTQ+ venues.

Councils can apply for a share of the £300,000 fund to work closely with venues to create new outdoor eating and drinking hubs or extend existing areas.

The aim of the scheme is to support a small number of trailblazing projects and applications of £50,000 to £100,000 per local authority are welcome.

The action will kickstart changes across the capital ahead of new licensing powers that the government intends to give to the Mayor of London to boost hospitality, culture and nightlife.

Khan said: “London is the greatest city in the world and as summer approaches and our city is set to welcome millions of tourists, I’m keen to put al fresco dining and later opening hours back on the menu.

“London’s world-class range of restaurants, cafes and bars is part of what makes our city special, but too often they have found themselves restricted through bureaucracy and rules constraining their growth. This new £300,000 Summer Streets Fund will help to kickstart al fresco dining and extend opening hours this summer, allowing the industry to thrive.”

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, added: “A growth-first approach to licensing and regulation that supports hospitality businesses, cuts red tape and delivers what customers want is the right thing for the Mayor to focus on. With the busy summer months fast approaching, new funding to drive the use of outside space can provide a real boost to the sector and I urge London boroughs to get behind this initiative.”