Think Night: London's neighbourhoods from 6pm to 6am
London is a world class city and merits world-leading thoughts on all aspects of life at night. The London Night Time Commission was set up to build on London’s strengths as a city that thrives from 6pm to 6am.
Londoners are more active at night and have later bedtimes than anyone else in the UK. Two-thirds of us regularly do everyday activities at night like running errands, shopping and catching up with friends. A staggering one-third of London's workforce also work at night.
The Think Night report sets out how London can work better for all Londoners from 6pm to 6am, helping people to live their lives more fully. The London Night Time Commission believes that London can provide so much more at night: in neighbourhoods, workplaces, high streets and public spaces.
Recommendation 1:
The Mayor should put the night at the heart of London policymaking. He should introduce a Night Test for all new policies to rate their impact on London's culture, sociability, wellbeing and economy at night.
Recommendation 2:
The Mayor should produce Night Time Guidance for boroughs. This will help them develop holistic Night Time Strategies that go beyond the night time economy and cover all aspects of their town centres and other areas between 6pm and 6am.
Recommendation 3:
The Mayor should set up a London Night Time Data Observatory. This central hub of data on the economy, transport, licensing, infrastructure, safety and health would help boroughs create their Night Time Strategies and inform local decision making.
Recommendation 4:
The Mayor should publish an annual report on London at Night. It should include a series of night time metrics that show his progress in implementing the Night Time Commission's recommendations and achieving the ambitions of his 24-Hour City Vision.
Recommendation 5:
The Mayor should establish a Night Time Enterprise Zone fund that boroughs can bid into, starting with a Pathfinder Zone in 2020.
Recommendation 6:
The Mayor should carry out research to establish the case for longer opening hours across London.
Recommendation 7:
The Mayor should help establish new partnerships across the capital to improve safety, reduce violence and make London welcoming for everyone at night.
Recommendation 8:
The Mayor should develop guidance to help boroughs, landowners and developers create welcoming, safe and vibrant public spaces at night.
Recommendation 9:
The Mayor should set up a Late Night Transport Working Group to ensure that workers, visitors and customers can get around London quickly and safely at night. The group should consider extending night services, introducing a 'Night Rider' fare that allows workers to move between bus, tube, train, DLR or tram in a single fare, and encourage more use of TfL's land and buildings at night.
Recommendation 10:
The Mayor should extend the remit of London & Partners so that they can promote London's night time offer to Londoners.
About the Night Time Commission
The Mayor of London appointed the London Night Time Commission in October 2017. Their aim was to help realise the Mayor’s vision for London as a 24-hour city. They carried out research to understand how Londoners and visitors use the city from 6pm to 6am.
Their final report, Think Night: London's Neighbourhoods from 6pm to 6am, was published on 31 January 2019. It drew on the views of London residents, evening and night workers, councils, businesses, community groups, public sector organisations and visitors to the capital.
The members of the London Night Time Commission were:
- Nihal Arthanayake, Radio Presenter
- Hannah Barry, Founder of Bold Tendencies
- Laura Citron, CEO of London & Partners
- Alan Clamp, CEO of the Security Industries Authority
- Councillor Clare Coghill, Leader of the London Borough of Waltham Forest
- Paul Davies, Director of Nightworks
- Jamal Edwards MBE, CEO of SBTV
- Jan Hart, Director of Public Protection at the London Borough of Islington
- Councillor Angela Harvey, Chair of Licensing at the City of Westminster
- Les Isaac OBE, Founder of Street Pastors
- David Lutton, Director at London First
- Shakira Martin, President of the National Union of Students
- Alan Miller, Chair of the Night Time Industries Association
- Ros Morgan, CEO of the Heart of London Business Alliance
- Rommel Moseley, Director at the Drinkaware Trust (VICE CHAIR)
- Lucy Musgrave, Director of Publica
- Commander David Musker of the Metropolitan Police
- Jo Negrini, CEO of the London Borough of Croydon
- Kate Nicholls, CEO of UK Hospitality (CHAIR)
- Samantha Renke, Actor
- Councillor Darren Rodwell, Leader of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
- Indhu Rubasingham, Director of the Tricycle Theatre
- Hannah Wadey, CEO of the Safer London Business Partnership
- Carly Wilford, DJ
- Alex Williams, Director of City Planning at Transport for London
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