£50,000 from London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s £300,000 Summer Streets Fund will go towards a new street market, carnival, and extended car free hours in Francis Road
Leyton’s Francis Road has been designated an al-fresco dining and drinking hotspot in the capital this summer by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.
£50,000 from Khan’s £300,000 Summer Streets Fund has been allocated to Waltham Forest Council for the scheme.
The money will be used to extend Francis’ Road car free hours, with the Mayor’s Office saying it intends to build on its status as a “hub” for street trading by launching a new market.
The funding will additionally support the Leyton Más carnival, on 13th July as well as more outdoor dining as part of an as yet unannounced summer event in Leyton Midland Road.
Other locations covered by the Summer Streets Fund include St Martin’s Lane in the heart of the West End. The Westminster street will be car-free from 11am-11pm and al fresco licences available for up to 34 businesses.
Meanwhile, independent bars and restaurants on Rivington Street and Redchurch Street in Shoreditch will be able to offer outdoor dining and drinking until midnight, with both streets being car free on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the summer.
400 square metres of outdoor dining space will provide around 80 extra tables and 400 extra seats for businesses in Atlantic Road and Brixton Station Road. Running on selected weekends, the roads will become car free zones until 10pm, with daytime activities including food markets, art workshops and live music.
Mayor Khan, said: “I’m delighted to announce the first of many new al fresco hotspots across the capital to help Londoners and visitors make the most of our summer this year. With new car-free, al fresco dining in Westminster, Shoreditch, Brixton, Leyton there will be new and fantastic spaces to bring people together.
“The schemes announced today are just the beginning and we’re looking to build on their success across London in the years ahead.
“London’s food, drink and nightlife scenes are world-class and I’m determined to do all I can to help them thrive. With new licensing powers granted by Government being developed, I’m looking forward to doing even more – working with boroughs, businesses and the police to drive forward more initiatives like these. We saw what a success it was during the pandemic, and I want to expand al fresco dining further in the years to come, all part of building a better London for everyone.
Waltham Forest Council deputy leader Ahsan Khan said: “I’m really pleased that Waltham Forest is one of the first four boroughs to benefit from the Mayor of London’s Summer Streets fund. The money will be used for several fantastic projects in Leyton, including a new street market in Francis Road where residents will have opportunities to support great local traders, and this year’s Leyton Mas carnival in mid-July.
“Like the mayor, I want to see a vibrant and bustling local economy that prioritises sustainable growth. Giving small local businesses more freedom to open longer will help them thrive as we create an economy that works for everyone.”
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