Hospitality businesses across Ealing and its seven towns could be set for a boost this summer after the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announced the return of a £400,000 Summer Streets fund to support the capital’s bars, cafes and restaurants.
The scheme will allow boroughs such as Ealing to bid for grants of up to £100,000 for large-scale street schemes or £10,000 for smaller projects, aimed at helping venues expand al fresco dining, increase capacity and extend opening hours.
If successful, locations across Ealing could benefit from the increased demand during the men’s football World Cup, when pubs and venues are expected to see a surge in customers.
The fund follows a pilot last year which transformed streets in parts of London into open-air dining destinations, boosting footfall and supporting local businesses.
Mr Khan said: “I want this summer to be the biggest ever summer for al fresco dining in our capital’s history and I’ll continue to support our vital hospitality and nightlife industries.”
Industry leaders welcomed the move. Kate Nicholls, chair of UKHospitality, said: “With a huge summer of sport ahead of us, it’s great that the Mayor is bringing back his Summer Streets fund. We saw the success of the scheme last year, helping to drive footfall and boost trade for our local pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants.”
Boroughs can apply for funding from April, with councils expected to provide match funding.
