10 ways the Night Czar can improve London clubbing

One of the most limiting and damaging factors to London’s nightlife is the lack of late licensing approved. Not only does this stop new venues from opening and limit grassroots activity, but it also causes social problems. Limiting the opening hours of venues leads to binge drinking and substance abuse with people rushing their intake against closing times. And kicking everyone out of a venue at the same time creates bottle necks in the streets and can cause fights. Enabling more choice of when people can arrive and leave venues can only be a good thing, and will instil a freer and more relaxed atmosphere within and outside clubs. The Night Czar would have a legitimised position from which they can lobby council licensing chambers to be more open with their licensing, which is essential for London’s club scene to thrive. 24-hour licensing is allowed in London, let’s start using it.

Often clubs will be targeted and closed down for issues caused by their attendees which are largely out of their hands. Clubs take steps to limit anti-social behaviour by employing security and bouncers. If people do fight and cause problems then that should be the responsibility of the individual and clubs should not be made to suffer. The Night Czar will have the ears of institutions of power and will hopefully be able to protect clubs by making this point loud and clear. Last year “urban and house events” were banned from taking place at The Coronet in Elephant & Castle due to violence breaking out in the streets around the venue following a House Of Silk night. While speaking to Alan Miller, chairman of the NTIA, recently he made the point to us that an event like Ascot isn’t blamed or shut down when attendees have one too many glasses and Dom Pérignon and get into a drunken brawl, which has happened on multiple occasions. It’s time that clubs are afforded the same leniency.