Night Czar
Amy Lamé was appointed Night Czar in 2016, and was tasked with ensuring London thrives as a 24-hour city. Amy's role involved championing London’s nightlife both in the UK and internationally, including safeguarding venues across the city. This vital work was driven by working in partnership with the night time industries, local authorities, the Metropolitan Police, Transport for London and the public.
Amy was Chair of the Night Time Borough Champions Network. This network ensured close links between the Mayor of London, the former Night Czar, the London Night Time Commission and London's 33 local authorities. The champions shared good practice, advise on the creation of new night time initiatives and supported the development of local night time visions.
The former Night Czar put the Mayor’s Vision for London as a 24-hour city into action. She helped to protect dozens of venues around the city, using her convening powers to bring together business owners, developers, police, residents, community groups, local authorities and customers to reach positive outcomes. She also published an LGBTQ+ Venues Charter with the Mayor to encourage new LGBTQ+ venues to open in the city.
Night Surgeries
Amy's Night Surgeries allowed her to hear directly from Londoners about their experience of the capital at night. Night Surgeries included organised visits to meet resident and community groups, businesses, councillors, night time workers and volunteers. They also involved being on the street and on public transport where the former Night Czar could talk to members of the public, visitors and local residents to understand their views on London at night.
Read about some of the former Night Czar's previous surgeries:
Richmond upon Thames Night Surgery, March 2022
Tower Hamlets Night Surgery, March 2022
Enfield Night Surgery, March 2022
Greenwich Night Surgery, March 2022
Hammersmith and Fulham Night Surgery, February 2022
Waltham Forest and Hackney, March 2017
- Richmond upon Thames, 24 March 2022
- Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, 22 March 2022
- Angel Edmonton, Enfield, 17 March 2022
- Greenwich, 3 March 2022
- Hammersmith and Fulham, 3 February 2022
- City of London, 28 February 2020
- Hounslow, 6 February 2020
- Bromley, 24 January 2020
- Westminster and Hackney, 13 December 2019
- Croydon, 18 November 2019
- Wandsworth, 13 September 2019
- Lewisham, 21 June 2019
- Gants Hill, Redbridge, 28 November 2018
- UK Power Networks, Westminster, 25 September 2018
- Motorcycle Action Group at the Ace Cafe, Brent, 18 June 2018
- Bee Midtown Business Improvement District, 23 May 2018
- Havering, 23 February 2018
- London Overground Night Service Launch, 15 December 2017
- Wimbledon, Merton, 1 December 2017
- Southwark, 24 November 2017
- Security Industry Association (SIA), 12 October 2017
- Waltham Forest & Hackney, 10 March 2017
- Croydon, 9 February 2017
- Kingston upon Thames, 3 February 2017
- Piccadilly Line Night Tube Launch, 16 December 2016
Women's Night Safety Charter
A priority for the former Night Czar was the safety of women at night. In July 2018, along with the Deputy Mayor for Police and Crime, Amy announced the first signatories to the Women’s Night Safety Charter.
The charter was the first of its kind covering the entire capital. It has seven pledges which the former Night Czar called on organisations across London to sign up to. The charter sets out guidance for venues, operators, charities, councils and businesses to improve safety at night for women. This includes better training of staff, encouraging the reporting of harassment, and ensuring public spaces are safe.
Get in touch to find out how you can support the charter.
The Mayor's 24-hour programme
Mayor Sadiq Khan wants to make London a 24-hour city that’s open to all. That's why the 24 Hour London programme has been created - to help London plan for the night (6pm to 6am), in the same way it plans for the day.
Our restaurants, theatres, cinemas, music venues, clubs and bars are world famous and a huge attraction for everyone who lives or works here. They also attract millions of international visitors each year and are growing faster than the wider economy. But there is much more to London at night.
1.6 million people - that's one-third of London’s workforce - usually work in the evening or at night. Transport, freight, restaurants, hotels and cultural organisations have a high percentage of evening and night time workers. But the biggest number of evening and night workers are in professions such as health, social care, law, accountancy and advertising.
People are living much more flexible lives. Working hours are changing and younger people especially want to be able to shop, post a parcel, have a haircut or see their doctor at different times.
24-hour Night Tube services are opening up new opportunities for Londoners and will create around 2,000 permanent jobs and boost the city’s economy by £360 million.
Working with London's borough, businesses and residents, the Mayor wants London to be one of the world's best cities to work, rest or play in at night.
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