Future's bright for the night-time economy

Mitchells & Butlers, Whitbread and many other big pub companies have moved away from wet-led managed houses. I have been lucky to work in this sector for more than three decades.

I believe there are still a few pubcos out there that are bucking the trend and taking on the challenge of running these large wet-led sites in towns and cities all over the country, producing a vibrant and busy town and city sector which has hundreds of thousands of 18 to 25-year-olds still willing to spend their money in well-run, safe entertainment-led

pubs/clubs.

Part of the trouble in this sector is that outside agencies have been trying to spoil the party for the past 10 years. We, as licensees and pubcos, are partly to blame. We failed to grasp the nettle a few years ago and now this enforcement sector has taken the lead.

It should not be allowed to. It has penalised thousands of revellers who enjoy the circuit drinking in towns and cities all over the country. I believe the corner is turned now and, if we can get our strategy right, the night-time economy still has a bright future. I would like to see the pubcos that have taken on the big challenges in this sector start investing in the buildings and the people who run them.

This is the last bastion where young people go to socialise and learn to drink sensibly, not in their houses playing on their Nintendo Wiis. These young people are the industry's future and they must be able to express themselves in a safe and friendly environment.

They should not be partying at home drinking cheap supermarket booze. The Government should not be penalising a million young revellers for the mistakes of a few idiots.

An old pubco mantra went like this: "The best way to predict the future is to create it."