The UK's largest evening and night-time economy may be in for ‘a prosperous and harmonious future’, depending on the success of a new strategy shaping its activities after-dark. The need to involve the 'hard to reach' and the marginalised however has been raised by several Westminster councillors, as the local authority works on plans it hopes will improve the nightlife across the city.
Westminster City Council is in the process of formulating its first night-time strategy, entitled Westminster After Dark. Currently at the engagement phase of proceedings, with current actions including an online consultation sourcing feedback from residents, workers and other local groups, it is intended to help diversify and develop Westminster’s night-time economy.
Wandsworth Council recently became the first borough in London to publish its strategy since the Greater London Authority (GLA) recommended local authorities produce their own plans. Around a third of councils in the capital are currently known to be working on one.
During a recent Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting, Westminster City Council members heard from speakers including Libby Harris, Night Time Economy Manager at the City of Sydney Council, who advised on some of the learnings from the authority’s experience rolling out its own plans from 2013.
Sydney’s ‘Open City’ approach is seen as a benchmark in how to run and implement a night-time strategy, with results so-far including increasing turnover from $15 billion to $23.3bn, and jobs from 80,000 to 116,405. Key learnings, Ms Harris told committee members, include the need to communicate ‘at every stage’, and to look at it as a way of working out what residents, visitors, workers and businesses want from the city at night, rather than through the lens of trying to solve a problem, such as reducing alcohol-related violence.
Amy Lamé, London’s Night Czar appointed by the Mayor of London, praised the steps Westminster has taken so far, as she emphasised the need for more planning that considers how Londoners engage with the city after dark. “Let’s face it; London is not, and probably never has been, a nine-to-five city,” she said. “All parts of London’s economy are active around the clock, and a huge number of Londoners are also active around the clock. 1.3 million Londoners regularly work at night. Two-thirds of Londoners are regularly out and about at night.”
‘A significant opportunity’
In a report produced by officers ahead of the meeting, it was noted the City of Westminster is the UK’s largest evening and night-time economy, employing roughly 80,000 people. Officers wrote: “In formulating our plan, our objective is to pioneer an approach that manages this burgeoning growth while nurturing a vibrant, well-regulated, and secure evening and night-time environment. Balancing economic vitality with regulatory oversight and safety measures remains at the forefront of our future evening and night-time plan.”
While Westminster After Dark is still in its early days, the scope of the engagement and development of the strategy goes beyond typical activities associated with nightlife, such as drinking premises, but also options such as retail and sports facilities, as well as what transportation considerations may be required.
During the meeting, Michael Kill, from the Night Time Industry Association (NTIA), said: “The Westminster After Dark strategy represents a significant opportunity to navigate the challenges faced by businesses while preserving an essence of vibrant evening and night-time economy. By approaching this strategy with a keen understanding of economic, infrastructure and confidence challenges, and by prioritising collaboration, approach and innovation, we can ensure a prosperous and harmonious future for Westminster’s famous night-time economy.”
Mr Kill also told councillors it is important that the first point of contact between different stakeholders is not one of conflict. “I think the important point to recognise here is open, consistent communication amongst all stakeholders is vital, and we need to build some sort of trust and confidence framework between policing, local authorities and the industry to break down those barriers as quick and effective as possible, so we can actually start working together truly as a true partnership rather than the rhetoric around partnership with some barriers which represent a real challenge for the industry to open up truly with some of the enforcement officers and people who work on that side.”
The need for the council to engage with a diversity of groups, including residents, businesses and visitors, is seen as especially vital for the success of the strategy. Ms Lamé said it is ‘incumbent’ on the local authority to work a range of opinions and perspectives into the scheme. “You are the custodians of the reputation and the economic thriving of our nation, and that has to be taken into consideration as well.”
Chair of the committee, Cllr Angela Piddock, specifically referenced the regular use of the term ‘the hard to reach’ in discussions relating to engagement, adding: “Well, we have to make sure they aren’t the hard to each, because they are going to be as affected by what we do here as everybody else.”
A number of recommendations, including involving marginalised voices and hearing from a wide pool of stakeholders, were noted during the session. According to the Westminster After Dark webpage, the research phase is due to end this month, with the final plan to be published in May next year.
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