In response to the Mayor of London’s report London at Night – an evidence base for a 24-hour city, John Timothy, Chief Executive of the Portman Group who facilitates the Local Alcohol Partnerships Group, commented:
“The Mayor is right to identify and focus on the social and economic importance of London’s NTE – this report highlights just how significant it has become to the fabric of London’s identity. And it’s encouraging to see that it’s possible to deliver a thriving and prosperous night life while at the same time reducing alcohol misuse and alcohol related harm. This is something we should celebrate and learn from.
“Yet with so many Londoners employed at night, it’s important that they are given the protection they need to go about their jobs without the fear of harm. Employees in nightclubs and any other licenced premises should be able to enforce rules around age restriction, for example, without threats and violence and more could be done to toughen up the law around this.
“This report also highlights the difficulty in getting data to fully evaluate the impact of the night time economy. It’s vital that we are able to measure success and develop evidence-based best practice that can be shared with towns and cities up and down the UK. Getting the right ingredients for a successful, vibrant and safe night time economy will play a key role in helping to boost our beleaguered high streets and strengthen our communities.”