This September, London is scheduled to premiere a 24-hour tube service on the weekends. Due to the flourishing nightlife in the UK, the “Night Tube” is expected to become a necessary and prosperous addition towards the economy. Because many of the nighttime patrons will likely be involved in the club/bar/pub scene during the night, the transportation police plan to provide extra security and presence. The Rugby World Cup will also be hosted in England and Wales at this time, surely adding to the number of riders.
“There will be an enhanced policing presence during the overnight services. The British Transport Police (BTP) will provide more than 100 officers to patrol the 144 stations that will be open throughout the night each weekend when the Night Tube services begin. More BTP Police Community Support Officers will also be out on the network to assist passengers, and support police officers, as required.”
The Night Tube is expected to support nearly 2,000 permanent jobs and boost the economy by £360 million. 
In light of this service, the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has commissioned a report to be done on the UK’s nightlife economy, titled “Forward Into The Night“. It states that over £66 billion of the nations’ economy stems from clubs, pubs, and other late night venues. An estimated 1.3 million people are employed by these organizations. Chairman of the NTIA Alan D. Miller had this to say:
Lighting up our streets, employing 8 percent of our workforce—a large proportion of whom are young—paying business rates and as active stakeholders in our local communities, our industry simply makes Britain better.
The report also seeks to shift some of the crime/safety responsibility away from venues.
The attempt to extend regulation of the night-time economy or curb its activities will do very little to reduce the problem of alcoholism or violent crime. Venues are now safer than ever. Most alcohol is consumed outside licensed pubs and bars.
Perhaps most important are the recommendations made for the future of the nightlife industry, and the government and general public’s perception of their activities.
– For the night-time economy (NTE) to flourish in the UK, the industry needs to work together to collectively gain favour with policymakers and the police
– The evident social and cultural readjustment to the night-time economy should be accounted for through fair regulation across licensing, planning, entry procedures, and crime. The police and local authorities need to realise the value to the NTE has to local communities
– Nationally, licensing frameworks should work with operators to better support venues while ensuring the safe and effective operation of the industry
– Crime classifications need to be revisited so as to recognise that crime associated with the night-time economy is not committed by venues, but against them
– We should be encouraging a nationally accepted code of conduct for the industry, which ensures best practice, and protects the individual venues that are operating to the standards imposed and accepted by the industry
– The nature of the conversation around the industry needs to change—to support and champion one of the UK’s most culturally significant industries, rather than belittle and stifle it
– Regular research into the quantitative value of the NTE should be undertaken, to ensure that policymakers and industry are made aware of the contribution to UK culture, economy and society
For a full look at the report, click here.
Source: ResidentAdvisor, TFL
