Soho drinking row exposes London power struggle

A dispute over Westminster Council's draft licensing plan for Soho has escalated, with Mayor Sadiq Khan calling it 'overly onerous' while the council accuses him of a political attack. The plan, which discourages 'vertical drinking' and designates Soho as a cumulative impact zone, is the first to face mayoral scrutiny under new devolution laws. Both sides claim to support local businesses, but the row highlights tensions over who controls licensing in central London.