I can relate to this, living in Vallvidrera, a neighborhood of Barcelona for which public transportation is an issue of this kind - the typical teenager comes home after 5:30 am when the funicular in our barrio starts running again on weekends. No service from 2:30 to 5:30 am. Doesn't exactly synch with the famous late night scene here.
Another great article, thanks. Just to add, on a more distant scale, getting trains back to the north east from London is a nightmare, and just not doable for day trips. An afternoon off work, jump on the train to London, go to a gig, then get back on a train to arrive back in the early hours would be an attractive proposition for special gigs, as opposed to having to pay for an hotel in the capital (and more time off work) - same with sporting events (although we used to get the 'milk train' back to Newcastle in the 80s, even though it took all night). The capital seems to want to attract people and ensure they stay over, and perhaps thats what other towns and cities are hoping for too. There's no easy answer, although I see driverless vehicles are on the way, which perhaps is one solution.
Amy Lamé was London's Night Czar, a role she held from 2016 to 2024. As the UK's first Night Czar, her job was to support and develop London's 24-hour economy and culture, but she stepped down in October 2024. Mayor Sadiq Khan has since launched a nightlife taskforce to advise on whether to appoint a successor. Amy Lamé's final salary as London's Night Czar was approximately £132,846 per year. Jury is out whether her £1m+ salary was money well spent but I have my own views on this. Critics have pointed to her salary as being a significant cost for a role that they believe was ineffective. Lack of tangible results: Some critics claim there has been a decline in London's night-time venues and that the city has not become a 24-hour city as intended. It’s been a year now and no sign that a new Night Tzar (embarrassing title it has to be said) has been appointed. Anyone know if one has been? London night transport has improved at weekends with 24 hour tubes but not sure Amy Lame had anything to do with that. I go to gigs outside London like Brighton and Guildford (Ellie Gowers in Nov) and trains back into London not exactly late enough to stick around at merch desk and chat to artists I find. My alternative is to find a cheap hostel and stay over. Great article as always.
I completely see where you're coming from Mark. I go to gigs in Brighton but am constantly checking a train app after about 10pm, just in case a train is cancelled at the last minute.
However there are times when promoters actually devote time and energy into developing a late event. I've attended both of Brighton's new Psych Fest, in2024 and 2025. Both times there's been sets that have gone on until 2am. It's way out of the league of people who live close to, but not in, the town centre. I don't want to stay in a hotel. I want to go home.
I have friends who live in the city and who stayed for the late sets and they said the venues virtually emptied before midnight. The venues were rammed at 2pm, so the organisers could easily have shifted the running order 2 hours by starting an noon and finishing at midnight. This would have been better for so many people and would have raised more drink revenue for the venues.
I've emailed the organisers, citing the sections in the Government's Fan Led Review of Music about curfews and transport links, but they've just ignored me. I don't know if they were unable to get some of the bands to play at noon. I don't know if some of the bands prefer to play in the wee-small hours. All I know is that I won't see some of next years "headliners" if they continue with this approach.
I can relate to this, living in Vallvidrera, a neighborhood of Barcelona for which public transportation is an issue of this kind - the typical teenager comes home after 5:30 am when the funicular in our barrio starts running again on weekends. No service from 2:30 to 5:30 am. Doesn't exactly synch with the famous late night scene here.
Another great article, thanks. Just to add, on a more distant scale, getting trains back to the north east from London is a nightmare, and just not doable for day trips. An afternoon off work, jump on the train to London, go to a gig, then get back on a train to arrive back in the early hours would be an attractive proposition for special gigs, as opposed to having to pay for an hotel in the capital (and more time off work) - same with sporting events (although we used to get the 'milk train' back to Newcastle in the 80s, even though it took all night). The capital seems to want to attract people and ensure they stay over, and perhaps thats what other towns and cities are hoping for too. There's no easy answer, although I see driverless vehicles are on the way, which perhaps is one solution.
Amy Lamé was London's Night Czar, a role she held from 2016 to 2024. As the UK's first Night Czar, her job was to support and develop London's 24-hour economy and culture, but she stepped down in October 2024. Mayor Sadiq Khan has since launched a nightlife taskforce to advise on whether to appoint a successor. Amy Lamé's final salary as London's Night Czar was approximately £132,846 per year. Jury is out whether her £1m+ salary was money well spent but I have my own views on this. Critics have pointed to her salary as being a significant cost for a role that they believe was ineffective. Lack of tangible results: Some critics claim there has been a decline in London's night-time venues and that the city has not become a 24-hour city as intended. It’s been a year now and no sign that a new Night Tzar (embarrassing title it has to be said) has been appointed. Anyone know if one has been? London night transport has improved at weekends with 24 hour tubes but not sure Amy Lame had anything to do with that. I go to gigs outside London like Brighton and Guildford (Ellie Gowers in Nov) and trains back into London not exactly late enough to stick around at merch desk and chat to artists I find. My alternative is to find a cheap hostel and stay over. Great article as always.
I completely see where you're coming from Mark. I go to gigs in Brighton but am constantly checking a train app after about 10pm, just in case a train is cancelled at the last minute.
However there are times when promoters actually devote time and energy into developing a late event. I've attended both of Brighton's new Psych Fest, in2024 and 2025. Both times there's been sets that have gone on until 2am. It's way out of the league of people who live close to, but not in, the town centre. I don't want to stay in a hotel. I want to go home.
I have friends who live in the city and who stayed for the late sets and they said the venues virtually emptied before midnight. The venues were rammed at 2pm, so the organisers could easily have shifted the running order 2 hours by starting an noon and finishing at midnight. This would have been better for so many people and would have raised more drink revenue for the venues.
I've emailed the organisers, citing the sections in the Government's Fan Led Review of Music about curfews and transport links, but they've just ignored me. I don't know if they were unable to get some of the bands to play at noon. I don't know if some of the bands prefer to play in the wee-small hours. All I know is that I won't see some of next years "headliners" if they continue with this approach.