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UKH welcomes pledge of ‘comprehensive review’ for England's nighttime economy

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, welcomed this initiative, describing the nighttime economy as the beating heart of the UK’s vibrant nightlife. She addressed the challenges of planning, licensing and other bureaucratic obstacles. Nicholls believes that reducing the burden of business rates on hospitality businesses will enable the sector to drive growth, attract visitors and create desirable places to live, work and invest.

This review aligns with Nicholls’ recommendations as chair of London’s Night Time Commission, where she led the ‘Think Night’ report on London’s nightlife. The report revealed that 1.62 million people usually work between 6pm and 6am in London, with 1.41 million being Londoners. Additionally, 289,000 commute from outside the city, and 79,000 Londoners work night shifts outside of London. A significant portion of the workforce (31%) live and work in inner London, while 27% do the same in outer London. Notably, 489,000 of the 1.01 million inner London workers commute from elsewhere.

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Research highlighted in the report indicates that night work can negatively impact wellbeing, affecting both physical health and family and social life. However, many individuals choose night shifts to spend more time with their families, such as taking children to school. The report suggests that to improve the nighttime economy, it is crucial to reduce costs and stress for workers, enhance quality of experience, access to training and support, availability of healthy food and wage rates. Boroughs could adopt the approach of Lewisham, where accredited London Living Wage employers receive business rate reductions worth up to £5,000.

In London, nighttime travel is significant, with one-fifth of all trips being work-related, both day and night, and a quarter of public transport trips occurring at night. Half of the night bus journeys are work-related, while two-thirds of nighttime trips are for leisure. The biggest growth in public transport use occurs between 10pm and 7am. 

The workforce is diverse, with 62% being men, 38% women and 31% belonging to BAME communities. Employment sectors include 178,000 in professional services, 191,000 in health and 168,000 in culture and leisure, contributing to a total of 1.6 million people working at night in London.

• UKHospitality
• Kate Nicholls
• The Conservatives
• TFL
• General Election 2024
• Nightime Economy
• London Nightlife