Central London to get designated “quiet zones” amid ongoing nightlife battle

nme.com:

Metro.100 additional CCTV cameras are also reportedly set to be installed in efforts to improve the safety of the area, with emphasis placed on protecting LGBTQ+ venues.The move to appease residents is controversial for business owners in central London, who accuse the council of only listening to locals and not prioritising the area’s culture.Since Covid lockdowns, London has experienced a 19% decline in late night venues.

Most recently, G-A-Y owner Jeremy Joseph shared that he had put the iconic Soho venue up for sale due to strict licensing rules in the area.

He added that there was no point trying to keep the venue open because Soho has “lost its vibrancy”.Westminster Councillor Geoff Barraclough said: “Westminster After Dark aims to balance the needs of a thriving evening and nighttime offer with the wellbeing of the residents who call Westminster their home.“This new strategy is our response to the obvious challenges of managing these competing demands.

Following extensive engagement, Westminster After Dark explores how we will remain a welcoming, innovative, inclusive, and liveable city with something on offer for everyone.”The Mayor of London recently announced the launch of London’s new independent Nightlife Taskforce after the city’s former Night Czar Amy Lamé stepped down in October.In October, a report from the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) found that UK clubbing could be “extinct” by the end of the decade.The new figures revealed that 37 per cent of all clubs across the country have permanently shut since March 2020 – an average of three clubs a week and 150 per year.