Harm reduction and not ‘zero tolerance’ of illegal drugs is recommended as a way to make nights out in London safer, by a ‘nightlife taskforce’.
A report for the Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan states that ‘late-night crime is associated not with nightlife spaces, but with busy areas and increased footfall. But empty streets can often feel less safe, underlining the need for more “eyes on the street” through night-time activations and later business operations, particularly for those at increased risk of gender-based violence’.
The report argues for ‘collaborative approaches’ among nightlife operators, police, and others ‘that prioritise harm reduction over zero-tolerance, punitive measures, while ensuring public safety through evidence-based resource deployment. Implementing data-driven policing, local partnership, and public health approaches can create safer nightlife environments through collaboration rather than enforcement alone,’ according to the report.
Crime
The report argued that ‘nightlife spaces are not crime generators’ and that it’s a stereotype to say nightlife spaces are havens for crime. Busy areas can have more crimes overall, but the individual risk is much lower, as the report put it. The study found that most nightlife spaces don’t experience serious crime on a regular basis; owners and operators are most concerned with theft. Of operators surveyed by the Taskforce, 30.4pc said that they “rarely” had to deal with crimes serious enough to require police involvement, while another 34.8pc said that they experienced this only “occasionally”. Theft and robbery are often raised in licensing decisions for late-night venues, the report noted: “However, evidence from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) shows that, across all of London, theft and robbery peak in the afternoon.” The report raised a lack of trust by venue operators in local licensing authorities, and called for police licensing to be reviewed.
In the vicinity
Crime in the vicinity of nightlife spaces is an issue for operators. Several survey responses highlighted thefts in the streets around late-night spaces and the selling of nitrous oxide as particular concerns for nightlife operators and organisers. Many businesses expressed frustration around police shift patterns, as many Met Police neighbourhood policing teams do not work evenings and nights. Echoing other documents, such as the women’s night safety charter toolkit, survey respondents described fear as a routine part of going out. Women might share live locations, avoid walking, and still fear being harassed. Safe transport home was one of the most cited factors affecting whether people go out at all. Better lit streets and more visible policing was much cited, by night workers and those out for leisure alike.
Noise
As for sound management’, or in plainer English late-night noise that annoys residents, the report proposes ‘a borough-level pilot scheme where noise monitoring technology supplements subjective complaints with transparent, real-time data. This shared evidence base would set clearer thresholds for disputes and guide fair mediation’.
‘24 hour city’
The report was commissioned by the Mayor of London and has been produced by the independent London Nightlife Taskforce with researchers VibeLab, The Autonomy Institute, UCL Consultants (part of University College London), and the Greater London Authority (GLA). It made 23 recommendations. Taskforce members included Mike Kill, CEO of the trade body the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA). Night life is defined as between 6 pm and 6 am.
The authors hailed a ’24 hour city’, ‘a London that never sleeps’, and in an introduction called for safety to be ‘built in, not bolted on’, while noting that nightlife workers such as artists, DJs, performers, technicians, security, bar staff, and event promoters often work informally or as freelancers, limiting their job stability and legal protections. An estimated one in four working Londoners, or roughly 1.32 million people, work in the evenings or at night, such as door staff.
Licensing Act
The report argues that ‘licensing has become a burden on nightlife businesses. While the Licensing Act of 2003 had the goal of supporting growth, its outdated licensing and planning frameworks must be updated to recognise the economic, cultural, and social value of nightlife’. Also suggested in terms of governance is a new model for London: ‘an independent Nightlife Commission, in which a wider range of industry representatives would work closely with local government to advocate for, coordinate and develop nightlife’.
For more about night safety visit the Safer Business Network website.
Budget
Speaking in January about his draft annual budget, Sir Sadiq Khan said: “Bearing down on crime and keeping Londoners safe is my top priority as Mayor. That’s why I’m taking the difficult decision to increase council tax to provide crucial funding for the police.“
Photo by Mark Rowe: Knightsbridge.
