Street ambassadors for Nottingham's nightlife

Street ambassadors are to appear in central Nottingham as part of ongoing plans to energise the night-time economy.

The number of taxi marshalls are also to be increased as a result of funding secured by the Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID).

The BID group has also announced that funding has been committed to the city's Best Bar None scheme.

BID chief executive Sylvia Mansell said: "We see the street ambassadors and the taxi marshalls playing an important role in ensuring visitors enjoy their time in the city and get home safely at the end of the night."

The 260-venue Nottingham BID, the only one in the UK dedicated to licensed premises, sees businesses in specific areas vote to contribute funds towards different projects to improve local trading conditions.

Ten out of the 14 board members are individual licensees or pub operator representatives.

Board member Richard Matthews, secretary of the Midlands Beer & Pub Association, said: "It is no coincidence that since BID was launched there has been a general decline in alcohol-related violent crime within the city centre."