The New York herald., 1921-09-25

SpecfQt CdOIe TO IHB NEW YORK HERALD.
Copyright, 1921, by The NEW YORK HnsALD.
New York Hernld Bureau.
London, Sept. "a.
The old time brightness of London
win begin to flare up again next week,
when fashionable hotels and restau-
rants here get new licenses that viii
enable them to serve drinks until
1890 o'clock at night. The lid" has
been on since the early days Of the
war. But now that the door has been
opened wider a return of something
like pre-war entertaining is promised.
Although the saloons and places
where liquor is served have been able
to keep open longer hours for three
weeks, restaurants selling liquor have
been subject to the decisions Of IL
censing justices. These justices meet
on different dates in different districts.
The system has prevented anything
like a general celebration in the form
of a wake over the Defence of the
Realm Act. but now all the popular
cafes and restaurants. as well as some
of the leading hotels, are planning a
festival night" as soon as regular IL
censes are obtained. At most it will
be only a couple OF weeks when all
of them will be keeping open until
long after midnight, with after the
atre suppers, orchestras and dancing.
Strand to De Merrier.
The Savoy and the Cecil hotels in the
Strand will have celebration on Tues
day to inaugurate the new era. They
have not obtained licenses yet, but they
have filled the requirements by filing
their requests for licenses two weeks
in advance, thus giving the police ample
time to investigate their cases. The
licensing Justices Of that district will
meet on Tuesday and If no objections
are raised to the requests of the Cecil
and the Savoy arrangements, the licenses
| will be granted with the result that.
beginning or. that night. the Strand Will
| be merrier than it has been for six
years
Meanwhile a score of popular West
End hotels and restaurants are chatting
at the bit. so to speak. anxious to get
away. but wondering when their licenses
will come. These include Claridge's. the
Piccadilly. the Ritz. the Cafe Royal, the
Eiyue 1dTh, liit <tuibdScahois shS <AN-
denino and the Criterion. On the other
hand. the Cairo, which Is just inside the
district, already has been granted
license and held gala night last
Wednesday IT Is now running strong
until o'clock every morning. but the
tables are cleared of drinks half an hour
after midnight Places like the Ritz and
the Claridge intend to maintain their
dignity. and will stage no specials
They will keep their restaurants open.
however.
The Picadilly, the Princes the Hyde
Park and other places are not quite so
well known as these have arranged Tor
midnight dances as soon as possible
The Piccadilly ballroom. which has been
closed for five years, will be reopened
with all its old glory.
But the law makes necessary only
gradual change. and only the Londoners
who are now out of town win find
changed conditions when they return
few weeks hence.
PiccadiTly Coming Into It's own.
Piccadily, a thoroughfare celebrated
throughout the world, but which has
since the beginning OF the war been as
dead as a graveyard after midnight Will
slowly come back into something like its
old splendor. and Leicester Square will
again be populated In the small hours
by folk perhaps more interesting than
street sweepers.
The new regulations Will, indirectly,
hit the night clubs hard. These clubs
sprang up during the reign OF the de-
fense Of the Realm Act. They have no
licenses. They are merely dancing
places conducted as clubs. members be-
ing their patrons. They open about 10
o'clock in the evening and sell only
coffee and lemonade. From now on
they probably will have many dull
hours and the management of some or
them fear they Will have TO quit alto
gether. especially since there VIII be
dancing in the regularly licensed places.
one can drink. the law says, only In le-
gitimate drinking places. and all such
places must have a license. The night
clubs are not in this category. 1t Is
probable that places like Rector's and
Murrays will be converted into restau-
rants for after-theatre patrons
Certain parts OF England have been
hard hit by the new regulations. While
the defence of the realm act, In so
far rs the sale OF liquor was concerned.
affected only those districts where
troops were In garrison. such garrisons
were In nearly all the more important
cities and towns. On the other hand.
there were some towns In which liquor
was sold all day during the whole o-
the war time. Now places Ike Con-
bridge and Bournemouth. seaside rss
sort, are forced TO curtail their lie 8or
selling and must abide by the lnw
law, which is enforced everywhere ye.
of course, as usual. In Ireland.
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