London's night czar: 'Enjoy city nightlife as clocks go back'
The picture originated from Getty Images.
The officials at City Hall are appealing to the government to provide assistance to the nightlife industry of London in the lead-up to the festive season.
The night czar of London is promoting the idea of utilizing the additional hour obtained due to the clocks going back, for the purpose of indulging and backing the city's night-time trade.
According to Amy Lamé, London dwellers ought to enjoy the assortment of evening entertainment leading up to the Christmas season.
Nonetheless, Rob Blackie, who is running for mayor as a member of the Liberal Democrats, remarked that individuals would probably choose to stay in bed for an additional hour.
She is also in favor of providing tax exemption on shopping for non-European Union tourists, but the government argues that they have already extended support to this particular industry.
She said: "Our dedication lies in assisting the growth of a more prosperous London for everyone. However, we require immediate support from ministers to ensure that these crucial businesses can make the most of the significant golden quarter."
The phrase "golden quarter" simply means the time spanning from October until December, during which companies experience a noticeable increase in revenue due to the holiday season approaching.
The source of the image is Getty Images.
During the period leading up to Christmas, companies experience an increase in their sales figures.
UK Hospitality, a group representing businesses within the hospitality industry, has expressed worries about their capability to handle customer demand. This is due to the lack of staff, high expenses related to operating, and worries about uncertain leases and licensing matters.
The activities and responsibilities she performed to enhance the economy during night-time have received negative feedback from both the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives.
According to Mr. Blackie, business owners have conveyed to him that they are not receiving any assistance from the night czar.
Our licensing laws that force early closure times and are not conducive to families may cause us to appear less fun-loving and welcoming when compared to other cities in Europe.
According to Mr. Blackie, he has conversed with various councils who have informed him that they are now less inclined to issue late licenses compared to before.
Ms Lame recently posted on a social media platform (formerly known as Twitter), expressing her support for granting 4am licenses to two popular venues in Soho - namely, Here and The Lower Third.
Some individuals who are critical of Ms. Lamé believe that further actions are necessary to back up the nightlife scene in London.
The BBC recently reported that Susan Hall, who is running for mayor as a conservative candidate, made a statement alleging that Sadiq Khan has paid a friend of his almost £120,000 annually to do nothing while the city's nightlife suffers.
We must not permit our bars, clubs, restaurants, and establishments to continue being disappointed in this way.
She has demanded particular measures to deal with the problem.
The source of this image is the Greater London Authority.
. She is responsible for supporting and promoting London's nightlife, as well as addressing any issues that may arise. London's first night czar, Ms Lamé, has held the position for five years now. She is tasked with aiding and boosting the city's vibrant nightlife scene while simultaneously tackling any challenges that may come up.
Ms Lamé has held her position since 2016 and is paid nearly £117,000 a year. Additionally, she is a BBC Radio 6 Music presenter and writer.
During her time as night czar, she is advocating for the government to bring back tax-free shopping to lure in more foreign tourists.
Before January 2021, individuals who were not from the European Union (EU) and visited the United Kingdom (UK) had the opportunity to receive a refund on their value added tax (VAT) for purchased items by exhibiting their store receipt at the airport.
The UK government decided to terminate the VAT refund program following its exit from the European Union. The reason for this was that they believed it was an expensive measure that did not provide equal benefits to all parts of the country.
A representative from the government announced that they are providing assistance to businesses in the night-time industry by granting them a 75% relief on business rates. Additionally, they are freezing alcohol duty rates and decreasing employer national insurance payments.
During the period of three months until June, London witnessed a surge of over a million tourists paying a visit to the city.
According to City Hall, the reason for this was the rise in the number of individuals participating in concerts and the increase in cinema profit.
During the weekend of October 14-15, the number of people using the Night Tube rose to over 150,000 according to Transport for London's ridership records.
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