Licensing Policy

We have written to our MP, Marsha de Cordova, to seek her support in resisting some changes to the arrangements relating to the Licensing Act.

Earlier this year the Government gave the Mayor of London the right to call in decisions made by Councils regarding the grant of Licenses under the Licensing Act 2003.  This right would be restricted to applications that were “potentially strategic” with the definition of what is classed as potentially strategic to be defined later by the Government.  The Government did reassure Parliament that this was a support a “carefully constrained strategic role” for the Mayor.

The Statutory Instrument that defines what is potentially strategic has now been published (The Licensing Act 2003 (Applications of Potential Strategic Importance to Greater London etc and Consequential Amendment) Regulations 2026).  The definition covers 95% of licensed premises in Wandsworth.

There are some 39,000 licensed premises in London, and 1,300 in Wandsworth. While it may be unlikely that the Mayor will be able to call in nearly all the applications relating to licensed premises, his being given the right to do so is likely to encourage licensees to make later and less constrained applications and Council Licensing Committees to put less weight on the concerns raised in order to avoid the decision being called in.  This shifts the delicate balance between businesses and residents, especially in areas where there are existing concentrations of licensed premises.

We are aware that Rachel Blake, the MP for the Cities of London & Westminster, is securing Parliamentary time for a debate on this topic.  We have therefore asked our MP to support her efforts to ensure that the Government thinks again on the definition and ensures that the balance between the desires of business and the needs of residents is maintained.