Al fresco dining will continue through winter to give lifeline to firms trying to stay profitable

West London is set to be transformed into a winter wonderland with many of its famous streets set to be pedestrianised for outdoor dining.

Following a successful trial during the pandemic, 270 businesses across Kensington and Chelsea will keep their doors open over the winter.

Streets will be closed and pavements widened as London adopts Europe’s café culture.

Kensington and Chelsea Council (RBKC) has renewed every business outdoor licence until September 30, 2022 and says the scheme will become a permanent fixture on its streets.

During the lockdown 400 businesses set up outdoor dining in the borough to help cope with Covid restrictions.

RBKC is also expanding Portobello Road market in the build-up to Christmas to help support local businesses.

The market will open on Sundays in December bringing double the amount of music and art to the area than in previous years.

Residents and traders have been invited to sign up for market stalls on the historic street.

Councillor Johnny Thalassites, in charge of planning and the environment, said: “Businesses have been amazing in their resilience and determination over the last 18 months and we want to do everything we can to support them.

“Al fresco dining made our streets come alive again after all those months of quiet. It helped our restaurants to survive when inside dining wasn’t an option, kept people in jobs and is now helping businesses to serve more customers.

“It’s brought a real café culture to our streets which is a great asset for local residents and an attraction for people across London.”