Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has initiated a new taskforce to revitalise London's nightlife, with the potential replacement of former Night Czar, Amy Lamé, on the agenda.
The independent committee, led by fabric nightclub founder Cameron Leslie, was launched on Tuesday and is tasked with bolstering the capital's nighttime economy, as reported by .
Over the next six months, it will provide various recommendations for the future of London's nightlife, including whether a new Night Czar should be appointed to succeed Lamé.
READ MORE: {}
During her eight-year tenure, which ended in October 2024, Lamé earned an annual salary of £132,846.
Since stepping down, she has embarked on a new venture as the "founding director" of 24hr Cities, a global consultancy.
Her term saw a wave of closures across London's nightlife venues, with a report by the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) revealing that 29% of the capital's clubs permanently closed between June 2020 and June 2024.
The taskforce also includes Pxssy Palace founder Nadine Noor, Colour Factory founder Nathanael Williams, and Alice Hoffman Fuller, Corsica Studios head of operations. Industry figures Kate Nicholls, CEO of 海角视频 Hospitality, Mike Kill, CEO of the NTIA, and Sophie Brownlee, external affairs manager at Music Venue Trust, are also members.
Khan remarked: "London’s nightlife industries are vital to the success of our capital, but, as with other cities across the country, they have faced a huge range of challenges in recent years. The rising cost of living and operational costs, shifts in consumer behaviour, staffing shortages and licensing issues have all been hitting businesses hard."
Most Read
He expressed confidence that the taskforce would contribute their "expertise and unparalleled knowledge" to "inform and develop our collective efforts to support nightlife".
Leslie also commented on the initiative, saying: "This group represents some of the best of what London has to offer, across an incredibly broad spectrum. We are all excited about the future of nightlife in our wonderful city, and are also acutely aware of the stark challenges we face."
While acknowledging that they "cannot wave a magic wand to make things better", he pledged to "put forward something meaningful by which all stakeholders and individuals who genuinely want to see London’s vibrant nighttime economy thrive and grow can then get behind".
The sector has been grappling with various hurdles, from the aftermath of the pandemic to soaring rents, business rates, workforce deficits, licensing complications, and broader commercial strains.
Recent data from the NTIA indicates a 32.7 per cent slump in nightclubs nationwide since 2020, with London experiencing a 19.7 per cent drop from March 2020 to November 2024.
This translates into the closure of 405 venues, with nightclub numbers dwindling from 1,240 in March 2020 to a mere 835 by November 2024.
London experienced the smallest decline, with cities like Manchester and Birmingham witnessing a 33.3% and a 38.5% fall respectively.
Don’t miss
Taskforce members are set to collaborate with the Met Police, Transport for London (TfL), London Councils, trade unions, the business sector, and supply chain companies.
City Hall announced that the panel will receive support from Nightlife Research consultants Vibe Lab, who will engage with Londoners to gather evidence to inform the taskforce’s recommendations.
Nicholls commented: "London’s vibrant nightlife is world-renowned and, while there are undoubtedly significant challenges facing our nightlife businesses, it still has the potential to grow and build on that reputation."