London mayor launches £300k fund to boost al fresco dining
"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," said Sir Sadiq."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."The announcement was welcomed by Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, who called it "a vital and timely move by the mayor that signals loud and clear: London is open for business and ready to thrive this summer".He added: "As the days get longer and temperatures rise, the ability for venues to trade outdoors and extend their hours isn't a luxury, it's essential."
Last month, the government announced it will give the mayor new licensing powers, allowing him to "call in" blocked licensing applications in nightlife hotspots.Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said the Summer Streets scheme was "a positive first step to improve London's licensing regime"."We look forward to working with the mayor and London's councils to remove barriers that prevent pubs from doing what they do best – serving up great pints and a warm welcome to Londoners and visitors alike," she added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
23 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Metropolitan Police's policy over live facial recognition ‘unlawful'
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has said the UK's biggest police force's rules and safeguards over using the tool 'fall short' and could have a 'chilling effect' on individuals' rights when used at protests. The concerns come as the Met is set to deploy LFR, which captures people's faces in real-time CCTV cameras, at this year's Notting Hill Carnival over the August bank holiday weekend. Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has already sought to reassure campaign groups that the technology will be used without bias. A Met spokeswoman said the force believes its use of the tool is 'both lawful and proportionate, playing a key role in keeping Londoners safe'. The EHRC has been given permission to intervene in an upcoming judicial review over LFR, brought by privacy campaigner Big Brother Watch director Silkie Carlo and anti-knife crime community worker Shaun Thompson. They are seeking the legal challenge claiming Mr Thompson was 'grossly mistreated' after LFR wrongly identified him as a criminal last year. EHRC chief executive John Kirkpatrick said the technology, when used responsibly, can help combat serious crime and keep people safe, but the biometric data being processed is 'deeply personal'. 'The law is clear: everyone has the right to privacy, to freedom of expression and to freedom of assembly. These rights are vital for any democratic society,' he said. 'As such, there must be clear rules which guarantee that live facial recognition technology is used only where necessary, proportionate and constrained by appropriate safeguards. 'We believe that the Metropolitan Police's current policy falls short of this standard. The Met, and other forces using this technology, need to ensure they deploy it in ways which are consistent with the law and with human rights.' The watchdog said it believes the Met's policy is 'unlawful' because it is 'incompatible' with Articles 8, right to privacy, 10, freedom of expression, and 11, freedom of assembly and association of the European Convention on Human Rights. Big Brother Watch interim director Rebecca Vincent said the involvement of EHRC in the judicial review was hugely welcome in the 'landmark legal challenge'. 'The rapid proliferation of invasive live facial recognition technology without any legislation governing its use is one of the most pressing human rights concerns in the UK today,' she said. 'Live facial recognition surveillance turns our faces into barcodes and makes us a nation of suspects who, as we've seen in Shaun's case, can be falsely accused, grossly mistreated and forced to prove our innocence to authorities.' 'Given this crucial ongoing legal action, the Home Office and police's investment in this dangerous and discriminatory technology is wholly inappropriate and must stop.' It comes as Home Secretary Yvette Cooper defended plans to expand LFR across the country to catch 'high-harm' offenders last week. Last month, the Metropolitan Police announced plans to expand its use of the technology across the capital. Police bosses said LFR will now be used up to 10 times per week across five days, up from the current four times per week across two days. A Met spokeswoman said the force welcomes the EHRC's recognition of the technology's potential in policing, and that the Court of Appeal has confirmed police can use LFR under common law powers. 'As part of this model, we have strong safeguards in place, with biometric data automatically deleted unless there is a match,' she said. 'Independent research from the National Physical Laboratory has also helped us configure the technology in a way that avoids discrimination.'
Rhyl Journal
28 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Metropolitan Police's policy over live facial recognition ‘unlawful'
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has said the UK's biggest police force's rules and safeguards over using the tool 'fall short' and could have a 'chilling effect' on individuals' rights when used at protests. The concerns come as the Met is set to deploy LFR, which captures people's faces in real-time CCTV cameras, at this year's Notting Hill Carnival over the August bank holiday weekend. Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has already sought to reassure campaign groups that the technology will be used without bias. A Met spokeswoman said the force believes its use of the tool is 'both lawful and proportionate, playing a key role in keeping Londoners safe'. The EHRC has been given permission to intervene in an upcoming judicial review over LFR, brought by privacy campaigner Big Brother Watch director Silkie Carlo and anti-knife crime community worker Shaun Thompson. They are seeking the legal challenge claiming Mr Thompson was 'grossly mistreated' after LFR wrongly identified him as a criminal last year. EHRC chief executive John Kirkpatrick said the technology, when used responsibly, can help combat serious crime and keep people safe, but the biometric data being processed is 'deeply personal'. 'The law is clear: everyone has the right to privacy, to freedom of expression and to freedom of assembly. These rights are vital for any democratic society,' he said. 'As such, there must be clear rules which guarantee that live facial recognition technology is used only where necessary, proportionate and constrained by appropriate safeguards. 'We believe that the Metropolitan Police's current policy falls short of this standard. The Met, and other forces using this technology, need to ensure they deploy it in ways which are consistent with the law and with human rights.' The watchdog said it believes the Met's policy is 'unlawful' because it is 'incompatible' with Articles 8, right to privacy, 10, freedom of expression, and 11, freedom of assembly and association of the European Convention on Human Rights. Big Brother Watch interim director Rebecca Vincent said the involvement of EHRC in the judicial review was hugely welcome in the 'landmark legal challenge'. 'The rapid proliferation of invasive live facial recognition technology without any legislation governing its use is one of the most pressing human rights concerns in the UK today,' she said. 'Live facial recognition surveillance turns our faces into barcodes and makes us a nation of suspects who, as we've seen in Shaun's case, can be falsely accused, grossly mistreated and forced to prove our innocence to authorities.' 'Given this crucial ongoing legal action, the Home Office and police's investment in this dangerous and discriminatory technology is wholly inappropriate and must stop.' It comes as Home Secretary Yvette Cooper defended plans to expand LFR across the country to catch 'high-harm' offenders last week. Last month, the Metropolitan Police announced plans to expand its use of the technology across the capital. Police bosses said LFR will now be used up to 10 times per week across five days, up from the current four times per week across two days. A Met spokeswoman said the force welcomes the EHRC's recognition of the technology's potential in policing, and that the Court of Appeal has confirmed police can use LFR under common law powers. 'As part of this model, we have strong safeguards in place, with biometric data automatically deleted unless there is a match,' she said. 'Independent research from the National Physical Laboratory has also helped us configure the technology in a way that avoids discrimination.'
Evening Standard
a day ago
- Evening Standard
Who's to blame for London's housing crisis? Labour of course
Between 2025 and 2030, London is expected to see a net increase of 973,000 through net migration. Every new arrival needs somewhere to live, and when housebuilding is collapsing, those homes do not appear from thin air. They are taken from the existing supply, in turn pushing up rents, pricing out first-time buyers and lengthening waiting lists. Yet, instead of recognising these pressures and adjusting policy to protect housing supply for Londoners, Khan and Starmer are fuelling the problem by opening the door wider, with no credible plan to meet the demand they continue to create. It is a reckless approach that sacrifices stability, fairness, and the opportunity of Londoners to have a home in their own city.
