Councils Killing UK Nightlife

Venue promoters around the country claim overzealous restrictions from councils stipulating the number of security staff they must employ and limiting the hours for outdoor drinking are killing the £66 billion ($104.3 billion) night-time economy, according to The Guardian. “The environment is becoming almost inoperable. I went from running a very healthy business to almost going under two years ago,” said Alex Proud, owner of Proud Camden nightclub as well as local galleries and restaurants.

“The costs of licensing and security are probably around £100,000 a year. We had two reviews and won both but they’ll cost another £100,000 with barristers and so on.”

Renowned concert promoter Harvey Goldsmith said the industry has always had to contend with these problems but the pressure has increased over the past three years.

“It all started when the last government started 24-hour drinking and didn’t figure out the knock-on effects,” he said. “Then some areas just went over the top. The authorities have got to accept that the heart and soul of a city is its night-time economy, otherwise you’ll end up like Bonn or Canberra where at five o’clock the city shuts down.”