Industry praise for London's Night Time Commission consultation and support for pubs

21-Feb-2018 - Last updated on 21-Feb-2018 at 10:11 GMT

Great opportunity: Industry bodies praise the work of London's Night Time Commission

Industry leaders have emphasised the importance of London's late-night hospitality businesses while thanking them for their contribution to the Night Time Commission's call for evidence into London’s night-time economy.

As the deadline passed on the Night Time Commission consultation yesterday (February 20) both the British Beer & Pub Associations (BBPA) and the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) praised the scheme and called on more venues to engage with the commission "on an ongoing basis".

The consultation was to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats within London’s night-time economy, including late-night hospitality.

ALMR chief executive Kate Nicholls, who sits on the Night Time Commission, said: "This was a great opportunity for businesses in and around the late-night sector to engage with the commission and support late-night venues.

"The Night Time Commission exists to provide the Mayor with independent advice directly from the sector, so pubs, bars, nightclubs, music venues and more should take this opportunity to make their voices heard."

'Very much' welcome

The BBPA also responded to the consultation, and "very much welcomed" the Mayor’s support for pubs and the wider late-night economy, and specifically the support given via the establishment of the Night Time Commission and the Night Czar.

“It is vitally important that London’s night-time economy is supported and continues to evolve," said BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds.

"Partnership working between the trade and bodies such as the commission and the Night Czar will help support the night-time economy. We remain against the imposition of late-night levies or blanket licensing conditions."

She went on to say that new housing developments were vital for the UK economy and it was good to see the Night Time Commission coming down in favour of the agent-of-change principle which makes developers responsible for taking steps to ensure that new properties are adequately soundproofed to protect existing pubs from noise complaints from those who move to live nearby.”