Sadiq snubs New York-style crackdown on shops leaving doors open with AC blasting — as Londoners swelter in heatwave

City Hall has refused to follow New York’s lead and crack down on London businesses leaving their doors and windows flung open while air conditioning blasts out into the street — even as Sir Sadiq Khan continues his mission to turn the capital net zero.

In the Big Apple, shops have been banned from the wasteful practice for a decade, with officials there branding it an “irresponsible practice that comes at the cost of our environment”.

But despite sweltering temperatures roasting the capital and the mayor of London’s climate-change rhetoric, officials have confirmed there are no plans to bring in similar rules for London’s retailers and restaurants.

Currently there is nothing stopping London businesses from throwing open their doors to lure in heat-frazzled customers — even while their AC units pump cold air straight out onto the pavement.

The revelation has reignited the furious debate over air conditioning in the capital, with the Conservative party this week pledging to scrap the ban on AC in new-build homes — a restriction first slapped on Londoners back in 2021 by the government and the mayor.

Astonishingly, just five per cent of buildings across the country currently have air conditioning installed, with the London Plan pushing developers towards “passive” cooling measures such as trees, green roofs and shading instead.

‘Nanny state nonsense’

The City Hall Conservatives last night blasted the very idea of a New York-style crackdown as overbearing meddling.

Thomas Turrell, a Conservative Assembly Member who sits on the environment committee, fumed: “Our political leaders should focus on making the lives better of the people they represent, not sending dictacts to businesses.

“This kind of nanny state, snitch-on-thy-neighbour nonsense undermines community spirit. The most vibrant high streets in London are the ones where businesses are a integral part of the local community; funding the Christmas lights, sponsoring local events.

“We should want small and local businesses to grow and succeed, not be burdening them under needless red tape about when they can and can’t open the door. Nor should we be wasting money on a door squad for the police to enforce it.”

But Labour’s environment spokesperson on the London Assembly, Leonie Cooper, suggested an awareness campaign could nudge businesses to be greener.

“When people use air conditioning, whether in the home or a car, leaving windows open leads to massively higher costs,” she said.

“So if people want to avoid waste and unnecessary costs, especially in these times of high energy charges, closing windows when using aircon makes total sense.

“City Hall does not have powers to enforce in this area, but does have the power to run awareness campaigns and can encourage more responsible and cheaper energy use across London.”

‘Eye-wateringly expensive’

James Cowling, managing director of Next Gen Tories, a pressure group focused on winning young voters back to the Conservatives, accused Labour and Reform of being obsessed with “rationing”.

“Rather than doing the difficult work to get building and ensuring there’s abundance, they prefer to limit — be it homes, energy, or infrastructure,” he said.

“London is worst hit — with policy that make the cost of living eye-wateringly expensive. The knock on effects make our lives worse — like not having enough power for AC.”

A spokesman for the Mayor of London insisted Sir Sadiq was making the capital “better prepared and more resilient” to climate change, pointing to his commissioned London Climate Resilience Review.

“The first heat risk action plan for London is to be launched in the summer, which will include actions to address cooling London’s infrastructure, and will be accompanied by a Heat Health Action Plan,” the spokesperson said.

The government has also dug its heels in against AC, with building safety minister Samantha Dixon telling MPs last September that air conditioning was “not a desirable or financially efficient solution due to the energy it consumes”.

She warned that “widespread reliance on mechanical cooling would place additional demand on the national grid, slowing the transition to a zero-carbon system and requiring further generation capacity”.

The government has been contacted for comment.