Nightlife Article #28 : We don’t care what colour tie or outfit you wear! We care about what you are going to do to safeguard nightlife!

When it comes to politics, we don’t care what colour tie you wear or what colour outfit you choose. What we care about is what you’re going to do to safeguard nightlife—the industry we love and are dedicated to.

Over the past five months, the team at the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has worked tirelessly to lobby all political parties on the needs and desires of the UK’s night-time economy. We’ve sent over 5,000 letters, held hundreds of virtual and physical meetings with members of all political parties, attended hundreds of events, and provided evidence, case studies, surveys, statistics, and reports to represent our industry. Throughout these efforts, we’ve discussed the challenges and impacts faced by the nightlife industry while promoting the crucial points laid out in the "Darkest Before the Dawn" NTIA Manifesto.

Since the launch of the manifesto in February 2024, we have put this important document in thousands of peoples hands and worked to lobby and advocate for every political party to put nightlife and the businesses and people at its heart at the top of their agenda.

However, as many of you will have seen, the political party manifestos unveiled over the past week have been broad and have left as many questions unanswered as they have provided clarity on each party’s commitments once in office. Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Reform, Greens, SNP, Plaid Cymru, and others have significant work to do, not only in restoring faith in Government, but to deliver on those commitments.

We are the soft power here, and the key to the next generation of voters.. although it would seem that this has been forgotten in many ways as there has been very limited recognition of the value of nightlife in any really meaningful way.

As the CEO of the NTIA I was asked a while back during the London Mayoral Elections by the press, What mayor would I vote for? and I was very clear in my answer - “The one that goes out after midnight and truly understands the challenges and environment we trade within…”

We have the same ethos in the current election campaign. We will engage with all parties that want to put nightlife at the top of the political agenda. There are no political alliances—our sole aim is to secure the best deal for our sectors. Our allegiance is only with the businesses and people who work within the night-time economy and their interests.

Recognising that the real work starts after the election. Rhetoric is one thing, but delivering on these commitments will be crucial to the recovery and growth of the sector. We have one important objective, which is to safeguard the night time economy , and the people who work, live and?play?within?it.