Proposal to curb ‘vertical drinking’ in London’s West End pubs meets with rage and resistance
By Lianne Kolirin, CNN
London (CNN) — It takes a lot to get British people hot under the collar, but a proposal to curb a venerable pub tradition appears to be doing just that.
Westminster Council, which oversees a large part of central London, has set out its intention to cut down on what it describes as “vertical drinking” — that is, enjoying an alcoholic drink while standing up — at pubs in its district, which crucially incorporates the nightlife hub of Soho in the West End.
The proposal, which is currently out to public consultation, appears to be riling everyone from ordinary pub-goers to residents of 10 Downing Street.
Published in June, the authority’s plan, to which the public has until Sunday to respond, is laid out in its draft statement of licensing policy. It proposes to “discourage excessive drunkenness and encourage the provision of more seating in premises that serve alcohol for people to sit and enjoy a drink and order food by table service in place of open bar space that caters for high volume vertical drinking.”
Local media reporting on the issue sparked an outpouring of rage, with even the prime minister’s office weighing in.
A spokesperson for 10 Downing Street told the PA Media news agency on Friday: “Busy pubs full of people talking to each other is not a public nuisance, it is British life and it is thousands of jobs.”
The spokesperson noted that “Soho did not become world famous by taking last orders early, switching the lights off at 10 o’clock” and said “the Prime Minister encourages local leaders to work with the industry so that pubs can continue to thrive.”
‘Leave us alone!’
Perhaps taken aback by the passion the issue has provoked, the council has responded by denying it is trying to “ban” standing in pubs.
But a post from the council on X on Thursday, asking visitors to “ignore nonsense headlines,” prompted some angry replies.
One user said: “I don’t want to be counted into a pub. I don’t want to buy a timed ticket to enter a pub. I want to be allowed to stand sometimes. Clearly, if there are limits on standing, the profits of the pub will diminish even more, and lead to closures.”
Another said: “People have been standing safely outside pubs for hundreds of years. Leave us alone for gods sake!”
In a statement sent to CNN, Paul Swaddle, leader of Westminster City Council, called out “confusing” reporting of the issues. “I want to be straight with people,” he said. “There is no plan, and never has been, to ban drinking while standing up in a Westminster pub.”
Swaddle said the aim of the consultation was to gauge public opinion, which the council will consider in detail. “Let me be clear about what we’re trying to achieve. This is about safety, not stopping anyone standing at a bar with a pint in their hand. We will never allow Westminster to become a city where people can’t go out and enjoy a drink.”
Nevertheless, the plan put forward by the council makes repeated references to “vertical drinking” as a problematic activity.
London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, also responded to Westminster’s proposals, writing on X: “You can’t run a world-famous nightlife district with a village-hall mindset.”
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office described the move as “restrictive and anti-growth,” adding: “At a time when nightlife and hospitality needs our support more than ever, policies like these would leave our venues facing extinction. And it would make our capital city less attractive for tourists.”
At present, each of London’s 33 boroughs operates under a different licensing policy, although the mayor’s office is seeking to gain more control.
Meanwhile, Lesley Lewis, who has run Soho’s famous French House pub for 37 years, told PA: “People want to enjoy themselves in Soho, they want to have a drink outside, they want to dance, they don’t want to sit down and just be where they are, they want to meet people and chat.”
In a post online, Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, a lobby group representing businesses involved in Britain’s nightlife, urged his organization’s members to respond to the consultation, saying: “Standing in pubs has always been part of Britain’s pub culture. It’s how people meet friends, watch live sport, wait to be served and enjoy the unique atmosphere that pubs have provided for generations.”
Pub closures
Despite their traditional popularity, Britain’s pubs have been in decline in recent decades, in part due to rising costs and taxes as well as generational changes in drinking habits.
According to data from the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), there were 44,650 pubs nationwide in 2025, compared with 60,800 in 2000. Its research has shown that, on average, almost two pubs closed every day in the first three months of this year.
Ellie Eames, regional director for London of the consumer group the Campaign for Real Ale, told CNN that restrictions on pubs in central London are “absolutely absurd… when the country is losing more of these valued community spaces at an alarming rate.”
“It’s always been part of British culture to order pints at the bar without the requirement to remain seated,” she added. “How else are consumers meant to make the most of wellbeing benefits pubs offer with a ‘vertical drinking’ ban?”
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