While New York is known as the City that never sleeps, London more and more often appears to be the City that falls asleep on the sofa during Eastenders. A nightlife that was once legendary, with some of the most famous clubs around the world, is now embroiled in an uphill struggle against bureaucracy, restrictive economic pressures and searching for proud political leadership that will defend it. That’s why our Deputy Leader, Emma Best AM, hosted a roundtable last week with representatives from across London's nightlife industry to draw-up practical steps to revitalise the industry.
The decline of London’s nightlife
Many young people see nights out in our great city as a ‘rite of passage’. However, in recent years, London’s nightlife has become a shadow of its former self. As Andrew Boff AM says, Sadiq Khan has managed to make our nightlife ‘boring’. Anybody who uses Twitter or Reddit will have seen vast numbers of complaints about the inability to find a drink after 10.30pm. Whilst weekend nights out are of course still possible, they require planning – a spontaneous night out feels nearly impossible.
When Sadiq Khan entered office in 2016, he promised to rejuvenate London's nightlife. To this end, he appointed a Night Czar who now has a salary of £132,000 (her pay having more than doubled since 2016). Despite these efforts, the decline is marked. Even before the pandemic, the number of clubs had dropped by 35%. In 2018, NME magazine published an article asking "London Night Czar Amy Lamé – what exactly is the point of you?".
Since the pandemic, the situation has worsened, with an additional 3,000 pubs, bars, and clubs closing their doors, including some of London’s most-loved clubs like G-A-Y Late.
Stopping the decline - Emma Best AM’s roundtable
However, just talking about the problem is not enough. The City Hall Conservatives want to be part of the solution – which is why we hosted the roundtable last week.
During the roundtable, Michael Kill, Chief Executive of the Night Time Industries Association, highlighted that petty crime is "rife" and is harming businesses. Safety is also an issue, with many feeling too worried to go out or to take public transport alone - especially women. Jo May of the Soho Business Alliance pointed to licensing issues as a significant part of the problem. A famous example is Greggs, which had to engage in a legal battle to justify selling sausage rolls in Leicester Square past midnight. May also advocated for lower VAT rates in hospitality venues to support the industry.
We all want London's nightlife to thrive. It is crucial for growing our economy, supporting jobs, and creating a city that is fun to live in. But to find solutions, we have to acknowledge that there is a problem. Currently, Sadiq Khan seems to be in denial, claiming that London is a 24-hour city - and that we are doing better than other cities. Those who have tried to enjoy a night out recently know that this is far from the truth.
Take a look at a highlight from Emma Best below!
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