Night-time businesses facing 'monumental challenge'

19-Jan-2023 - Last updated on 19-Jan-2023 at 10:35 GMT

Capital ventures: the prosperity of London’s night-time businesses and industries has never been more crucial than right now, according to night czar Amy Lamé. (image: Getty/Chainarong Prasertthai)

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London night czar Amy Lamé has called on the Government for urgent support to help the capital’s high streets after 6pm.

Today (Thursday 19 January), Lamé spoke at the London at Night Conference. She demanded the Government help businesses with VAT cuts for hospitality firms, extending the 50% business rate relief for retail, culture, leisure and hospitality sectors for a further year.

She also called for greater support on energy costs in a bid to help drive London’s economic recovery at the event, which is being held at Woolwich Works and supported by the Royal Borough of Greenwich.

This came as research from the Greater London Authority revealed the number of Londoners working events and nights had dropped to 1.4m prior to the energy and cost-of-living crisis.

Economic recovery

The hospitality sector, where more than half of workers typically work evenings and nights, has seen a decrease of more than a quarter (27%) in those working during these hours over the past five years.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “Our night-time businesses are hugely important to London’s economic recovery and have had an incredibly tough couple of years as a direct result of the pandemic and are now struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.

“It is vital [the] Government steps forward and provides the support needed to ensure our high streets at night can help drive forward our economic recovery.

“I’m proud London has taken the lead in creating opportunities for local businesses and high streets to flourish after 6pm with initiatives such as my Night-Time Enterprises Zones and am committed to doing all I can to help all aspects of our nightlife flourish as we build a better and more prosperous London for everyone.”

Monumental challenge

The prosperity of London’s night-time businesses and industries has never been more crucial than right now, according to Lamé.

She added: “Our 6pm to 6am businesses face a monumental challenge and urgent Government support is essential to ensuring these businesses can play a necessary key roles in driving forward London’s economic and social recovery.

“I am so proud to host the first London at Night Conference and to bring together leaders from across the capital as we put life at night at the heart of all our plans to build a fair, inclusive and sustainable 24-hour city.”