- London’s night-time economy contributes £26.6bn to its GVA annually and supports 1 in 8 jobs in the capital, as an industry in its own right
- The night-time economy is not just bars and clubs but increasingly retail and cultural attractions for all ages, with all sectors involved
- London’s vibrant nightlife offer is an integral part of its global identity, serving as an attractor of tourists and global talent, both workers and students
- But the cost of policing the night-time economy is increasing as it expands, with drinking areas seeing the most violent crime in the capital
Research on the Night-Time Economy (NTE) and its governance among leading European cities has become a key priority at JLGC in recent years, not least as Japan gears up to host international visitors for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In recognition of the role that nightlife plays in cultural placemaking and the emergence of new urban governance forms with which to regulate and enhance this, a new JLGC Factsheet (in English) now maps and benchmarks this governance model and policy transfer among European cities, while assessing the wider contribution of urban nightlife to city competitiveness globally.
This follows our researchers’ attendance at events such as Amsterdam’s Night Mayor Summit, Stadt Nacht Acht in Berlin and most recently the National Conference on Nightlife in Paris. JLGC has also held discussions with the office of London’s Night Czar in order to profile the work of the Mayor’s Night Time Commission, formed in response to the capital’s particular recent industry and cultural sector challenges and also to give consideration to the emergence of these new governance models among other European capitals.
A final report in Japanese for consideration by national and local policymakers in Japan will be published in 2018.
You can download the JLGC Factsheet on London’s Night-Time Economy here (PDF).
