City of London waives fee for restaurant outdoor dining licences
Restaurants in the City of London will not be charged in order to provide outdoor seating areas after Square Mile authorities extended its policy on free pavement licences.
The City of London Corporation has today agreed to continue issuing pavement licenses free of charge for “suitable premises” for a further six months.
Some of the first six-month licenses granted last year are now due to expire, therefore the City Corporation’s Licencing Committee has decided to waive the fee for applications.
Alastair Moss, chair of the City Corporation’s planning committee, said workers and visitors are expected to return to the Square Mile “as soon as current government restrictions are eased”.
“Issuing these free of charge pavement licences will mean the City can once again be enjoyed by all as the weather improves,” he said.
Since August last year, a total of 58 applications for pavement licences have been made, with 40 granted.
Moss added: “The majority of establishments which wanted to take up the offer to reinstate their pavement licences have been able to do so and it remains vitally important that these outdoor dining options are retained wherever it is appropriate.”