Alfresco dining to continue in Mayfair, Pimlico and Belgravia

Alfresco dining is to continue in more streets across London's Westminster following a month-long consultation.

Over 80% of residents and businesses in Pimlico backed the extension of temporary outdoor dining measures on Warwick Way, Denbigh Street and Churton Street.

And more than 90% of respondents wanted the scheme to continue in Elizabeth Street and Eccleston Street in Belgravia and North Audley Street in Mayfair.

Earlier this month it was announced outdoor dining measures would also continue in Covent Garden and St John's Wood.

Westminster City Council said it had supported nearly 900 businesses, bars and restaurants to provide outdoor dining with pavement licenses since venues reopened in April.

During the summer, around 60 streets benefited from pavement widening, temporary closures of roads and parking bays to allow chairs and tables to be set up.

A consultation into the future of alfresco in other areas is ongoing. In Soho (pictured), the scheme is due to end on 1 October and is already being wound down, with restaurants and bars banned from using some outdoor furniture such as heaters due to council concerns it could be a fire hazard.

Hospitality venues in the area told The Caterer they had already seen a drop in trade and have called for the extension of the outdoor dining scheme.

Matthew Green, Westminster City Council cabinet member for business, licensing and planning, said: "It's no exaggeration to say that outdoor dining has saved many businesses from closure - creating more than 17,000 additional covers across Westminster.

"We've always said that we'll only continue alfresco in areas of the city where there is resident support and I'm pleased that residents have been overwhelmingly in favour in Covent Garden, St John's Wood and parts of Belgravia and Mayfair.

"I'm also pleased that alfresco will continue in already pedestrianised parts of the city such as Chinatown.

"We have also started the process of engaging on whether appropriate alfresco dining can be incorporated into Soho in a way that works for everyone. That's why we're working with Soho residents and businesses to design a scheme that will go out for consultation towards the end of this year."

Image: Shutterstock / cktravels.com