Taking on the Westminster suits

You have to take your hat off to anyone who takes on the Westminster City Council's spoilsport authorities - especially when it seems the council are making headway.

Bar operators Urbium (until recently known as Chorion), who own West End venues such as Tiger Tiger, On Anon, Sugar Reef and Red Cube, have taken the Council to court over its policy of not allowing any more licences in the West End beyond 1am. A High Court judge has now declared Westminster's policy 'ambiguous' and 'inconsistent' and ruled that it must be reviewed and redrafted after consultion with bar proprietors.

Urbium are complaining that the present policy would restrict competition in the West End and other key areas, and that new entrepreneurs would be prevented from entering the industry. Westminster claim the policy was necessary as there's been an explosion in the number of megapubs and clubs, leading to increased congestion and a fear of crime in the area.

Now call me naive, but hasn't it already been universally agreed that problems generally occur when licensed establishments turn out all their punters on to the streets simultaneously? Also, it is a part of the London visitor experience to stay up late and have a good time and, just because the nylon suits at Westminster work go to bed early, it doesn't mean we all have to.

Go on, Urbium, keep fighting!

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