Written by Philip Kolvin KC, in collaboration with key stakeholders, the ‘Darkest Before the Dawn’ Manifesto for the Night Time Economy 2024 is aiming to fortify the night time industry within towns, cities and regions across the UK.
It also urges policy makers at national and local level to adopt cohesive strategies to protect the night time economy, covering issues such as rising business rates, high levels of VAT, crippling energy costs, commodity prices, labour shortages and reduction in consumer spending.
Data from market researcher CGA by NielsonIQ demonstrated that free tenure outlets in the night time economy have reduced by 8.2% in the year ending March 2023. This decline can be seen across many regions, with Birmingham witnessing a 12.6% decrease in outlets since the onset of COVID-19 in 2020. The NTIA’s Manifesto has highlighted this data to underscore the urgent need for action.
“Pubs, nightclubs, and music venues are the bedrock of popular culture, particularly for young people, but for many years have been closing at an unsustainable rate,” said Kolvin.
“The financial challenges they now face often appear overwhelming. Darkness before the Dawn advocates a paradigm shift, requiring policymakers to view the night time economy as a social good to be celebrated and protected, and not just regulated. It shows how a strategic, systematic, and creative approach to governance of the sector will help to drive its revival for the economic and cultural benefit of the nation.”
Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, added: “The Night Time Economy Manifesto represents a pivotal moment in the history of our industry. It showcases the vital role our nighttime businesses can play in shaping both national and local night time economy strategy. This work is of paramount importance, and its implementation will not only revitalise our nighttime businesses but also enrich the cultural and economic fabric of our nation.”
Last week, in conjunction with Save Our Scene UK, the NTIA launched the ‘Culture Calling’ campaign, to target the UK Government’s stance on the cultural and hospitality sectors.