Campaigners welcome delay but say: Now abandon fees for good

Leaders of the campaign against the charges were delighted with the postponement - but said the champagne will stay on ice until the plan was abandoned for good.

Nightclub owner Peter Stringfellow, who was to stand as an independent Conservative on the issue in the next council elections, said: "This is excellent news for the business community and, more importantly, the people who visit the West End. But I am not celebrating just yet.

"We will keep the pressure on the council to understand this should not be a temporary measure but an absolute answer. Cancel it now.

"I think the Evening Standard has done a fantastic job in highlighting the catastrophic impact this would have on the people who live and work in the West End."

Two-Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux Jr of Mayfair's Le Gavroche, said: "I'm very happy but we can't open the champagne just yet. The council has to realise it was wrong. It must not waste any more money and time fighting this in court."

Simon Thomas, owner of the Hippodrome Casino, said: "Uncertainty is an expensive commodity. The plans have to be abandoned completely and not simply delayed while the council use our money to fight this in the courts."

Major Ray Brown of The Salvation Army, whose church and community work is based on Oxford Street, said: "Until these plans are dropped completely the long-term future of our community work and church is still under threat."

Campaigner Paul Pearson, who runs the PenaltyChargeNotice website, said: "Councillors Barrow and Rowley, who arrogantly tried to push this through at all costs, must now resign. They knew that this judicial review was ongoing and yet they gave the order for £297,000 of new signs and took on new staff to work in the evenings. Mr Barrow should pay back the council-tax payers from his own pocket."

Labour's mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone said: "They were doing something that was going to badly damage the London economy. I'm just amazed the council dug in so much. Why go through a judicial review now? They should just back off and admit they are not going ahead with it."

Baroness Valentine, Chief Executive of business group London First, said: "This is great news for the West End.Let's hope these proposals are now dropped completely."