If you run, promote or play nights in London, there is now a new authority above the borough licensing committee. Since November 3, Mayor Sadiq Khan can call in licensing applications he considers strategically important to the capital and decide them himself.
According to City Hall, this covers cases such as large venues, live music, later opening hours, and major events or festivals. He can intervene after a local decision has been made. City Hall says no UK mayor has had this power before. Under the same package from central government, boroughs must consult the Mayor when they revise their licensing policies, and City Hall receives every licensing application and can make formal representations to licensing committees.
He also has to set London's first city-wide Strategic Licensing Policy. A consultation on the draft ran earlier this year, and he is now reviewing the responses before publishing the final version.
City Hall says nightlife brings London more than £21bn a year. If a venue loses its case for later hours or an event licence at borough level, City Hall may now review it, but only when the Mayor chooses to call that case in.