London and the night time economy

Professor Andy Pratt has been interviewed and written about the initiation of London’s ‘all night tube service’. Andy cautioned against an over-optimistic expectation of impacts, but argued that it was part of a longer term transformation of London from a city based upon 9-5 culture to one approaching 24-7. The transformation cannot take place without a range of institutional changes to resource provision, as well as governance. This will create the foundations for genuinely new and innovative city cultural forms. However, as Andy stresses, the night time economy is as much about workers getting to and from work, as much as the revellers. The cultural economy, of which the night time economy is an important part, underpins London’s cultural prosperity.

See the city web site, plus the Metro and the article in the International business times. The job for the GLA’s ‘Night Czar’ has been advertised today (Aug 24). Andy has also been interviewed for Vice TV.(link to follow)