It sounds like an unlikely thing to get worked up about: standing up while having a drink. But “vertical drinking” has found itself at the centre of a debate in London, with proposals from some councils to curb the practice in a bid to tackle concerns around noise, anti-social behaviour and the impact of drinking establishments on local communities. The intention may be understandable, but for an already hard-pressed hospitality industry, restricting the way customers choose to enjoy a drink could feel like yet another obstacle being placed in front of businesses simply trying to survive.

For many pubs, bars and smaller venues, vertical drinking is actually a perfectly natural part of the experience. Not everyone wants to sit down for the evening; sometimes you want to meet friends, have a drink, move around, chat to different people and enjoy the atmosphere. Standing also allows venues to accommodate more customers, particularly at busy times, helping them make the economics of trading in expensive city-centre locations stack up. Take away that flexibility and you potentially reduce capacity, revenue and ultimately the viability of some venues.

And this is happening against a backdrop where hospitality is already facing a formidable list of challenges. Rising wages, business rates, energy bills, ingredient and drinks costs, staffing shortages and increasingly cautious consumer spending are all putting pressure on margins. Customers are also drinking differently, with moderation and lower-alcohol options becoming more popular, meaning operators are having to work harder than ever to create experiences that encourage people through the door. The last thing many businesses need is another restriction that could make it harder to generate the income required to keep their doors open. 

Of course, nobody is suggesting that councils should ignore genuine problems around noise or anti-social behaviour. But perhaps the answer is to focus on the behaviour, rather than the position of the customer. Well-run pubs and bars are an important part of London’s social fabric, creating jobs, attracting visitors and giving neighbourhoods somewhere to meet and socialise. If someone wants to enjoy their drink standing up, surely that should not, in itself, be viewed as a problem. In an industry already fighting hard on multiple fronts, perhaps London needs to be making it easier for hospitality businesses to thrive — not finding new reasons for them to sit down. 

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