Your say / Nighttime Economy
‘The success of Bristol’s nighttime economy is critical to our entire city’s success’
Bristol is renowned for its nightlife, and 32,000 Bristolians have jobs that are reliant on the nighttime economy.
Sadly, some Tory and Green Party councillors recently teamed up to turn down the music.
Bristol City Council’s licensing committee – which I chaired until October 2023 – made a decision that will harm our hospitality sector by voting to keep the outdated and heavy-handed Cumulative Impact Area (CIA) policy.
is needed now More than ever
The CIA declares the city centre to be at a “saturation point” and creates a presumption for councillors to refuse any applications for new bars, clubs, restaurants or takeaways in the centre that will be open past 11pm.
It takes the power away from councillors who find themselves with their hands tied and unable to approve well considered applications for new venues.
The cumulative impact zone goes from the Floating Harbour to Stokes Croft and from Clifton Triangle to the western edge of Broadmead – map: Bristol City Council
The needs of city centre residents with reservations must also be properly considered of course, but councillors are able to consider the strength of objections when considering licensing applications without a CIA.
Bristol’s city centre has changed drastically since the CIA was introduced, as Covid, rising energy costs, Brexit, and the cost-of-living crisis have all contributed to a worryingly high number of hospitality closures across the country.
The government’s refusal to provide VAT relief in its spring budget will compound this further.
Council officers appreciated this and had recommended the CIA be removed, concluding there was not the evidence to retain it.
I suspect this committee’s decision to go against officer advice will be one Bristol will come to regret.
It will mean new, exciting venues catering to diverse audiences will face significant barriers before opening.
Imagine if the CIA prevented the opening of venues like Lost Horizons or Strange Brew? You don’t have to be a junglist to see that independent venues like this keep Bristol’s nightlife massive.
Django Django playing at Strange Brew – photo: Matt Barnes
Bristol Labour has a proud track record of promoting our city’s night time economy and cultural scene.
We set up the role of night time economy advisor; worked with partners to bring back St Paul’s Carnival; and established Bristol Nights which has produced successful campaigns promoting safety at night, including a Women’s Safety Charter, Bristol Rules and a pioneering drink spiking campaign that won national recognition.
While Green Party councillors were encouraging noise complaints against Motion, jeopardising the future of the iconic venue, we were securing a historic deed of easement to protect the club in the context of the neighbouring Temple Quarter development.
The Labour administration welcomed the news that 15,000-capacity events would be coming to Queen Square – building on the of success of events like Arcadia, which it hosted in 2015.
This is a huge win for Bristol’s music sector and local businesses.
The success of Bristol’s nighttime economy is critical to our entire city’s success – culturally, economically and socially.
Those of us in Bristol Labour appreciate this and we are proud to back the city’s nightlife; I hope other parties reflect and do the same.
This is an opinion piece by Marley Bennett, Labour councillor for Eastville and cabinet member for waste, climate, ecology & just transition, who chaired Bristol City Council’s licensing committee until October 2023
Main photo of opening of Coyote Ugly: Jon Craig
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