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A couple of weeks ago, I posted a short statement on social media, as I was frankly fed up with the Soho Society’s decision to oppose all licensing applications in our capital city’s most famous nightlife district.

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My stance has been overwhelmingly welcomed by Londoners, businesses and visitors alike, many of them shocked that such a small group of residents could hold local businesses and the capital’s economy hostage.

Some, though, went further still – asking why, as Mayor, I didn't have the powers to stop them. It’s a fair question. Londoners and businesses are rightly fed up with watching NIMBYs get their way. But, after years of lobbying I am pleased that new laws are coming into force today that give City Hall a formal say on licensing decisions across the capital. Positive change is finally coming.

London’s bars, clubs, live music venues and pubs are the beating heart of our global city, bringing communities together and filling our streets with life and laughter.

The capital’s late-night industries play a vital role supporting more than a million jobs and contributing over £139 billion to our national economy every year.

Yet, for decades, an outdated, inconsistent and frankly illogical licensing system has treated London’s nightlife like a luxury, rather than recognising it for the essential and extraordinary asset it is.

Today, licensing in London is managed by the city’s 33 different local authorities, each of which takes a different approach.

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