Nighttime Economy Recommendations

Emma Best AM moved, and Alessandro Georgiou AM seconded the following motion:

“The Assembly notes that London’s night-time economy is in crisis. Many venues are feeling the impact of this, with more than 3,000 pubs and clubs closing in and around London since March 2020, a decline which is steeper than any other English region.

With Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds now overtaking London in terms of night-time transactions, this Assembly recognises the need to re-establish our capital city as a global hub of nightlife.

This Assembly notes recommendations compiled with experts and representatives from the nightlife sector and calls on the Mayor to:

• Create a £6 million ‘Nightlife Prosperity Fund’ for boroughs to tell us what they need to make their nightlife thrive, and submit bids to make it happen.
• Commit to the goal of expanding existing Night Tube services to Thursday nights and extending coverage to the Hammersmith and City Line.
• Commission a review of women’s safety in the capital at night, to be produced by the Victim’s Commissioner. The Commissioner and the Mayor should be held to account on implementing its recommendations.
• Join the Night Time Industries Association ‘The Last Night Out’ campaign and champion the petitions recommendations.

This Assembly further calls on the Mayor to explore the feasibility of expanding Night Tube services to the District Line.

This Assembly calls on the Mayor and any future Night Czar (or similarly appointed role) to listen to the advice of industry experts and representatives and implement these recommendations.”

Following debate and upon being put to the vote, the Assembly agreed to refer the motion to the Economy, Culture and Skills Committee with 15 votes in favour and 8 against.