Despite the Mayor’s apparent commitment to ensuring “London is open”, some draconian policies have been allowed to slip through on his watch. Hackney Council has implemented something reminiscent of Form 696 in its stifling of vibrant and diverse nightlife.
The imposition of the curfew will now mean that some of London’s most bustling bars, clubs and music venues will have to adhere to a ridiculous 11pm weekday closing time and midnight on weekends.
The borough of Hackney covers large swathes of London’s most popular night time hotspots like Shoreditch, Dalston, Stoke Newington and Hoxton and the venues will no doubt have to jump through hoops if they wish to extend their licences.
Incredulously, the council is going ahead with the implementation of these policies despite local residents and businesses voting unanimously against them. It’s clear the democracy is nothing more than a charade as once again, the fate of the many has been decided by the few.