Westminster City Council has come under fire from licensees and industry figures over its heavy-handed attitude towards the trade.
Complaints centre on Westminster officials making excessive numbers of site inspections, often at inconvenient times. Operators are also complaining about the cost of appeals against Westminster decisions, and the council's unwillingness to grant longer hours.
Interpub managing director Keith Knowles said: "We've had a lot of
problems with Westminster.
"Under the old licensing regime we used to get a
couple of visits a year. Now it's more like 10 a month - it feels as if we're under siege.
"We'd have to pay £50,000 in costs to adjust our licence and double that if we lost - it's a no-win situation. The whole licensing process is in turmoil."
Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers chairman Alex Salussolia said: "Council inspectors are showing up in nightclubs at peak trading times, such as 1am, demanding access to records and the manager's time, when they [the manager] should be looking after the business.
"It's inconsiderate. There are some real relationship problems between licensees and the council."
Councillor Audrey Lewis, cabinet member for community protection and licensing, said: "The Westminster Licensees Association has told us that our inspections come at awkward times. We find this surprising.
"We have identified problems with some premises, but the majority of premises in Westminster have a low risk rating and we adopt a very light-touch regime.
"Westminster already had a large number of late-opening premises but we have a robust licensing policy to only extend licences in cumulative impact areas in exceptional circumstances."