Mayor unveils blueprint to revitalise West Midlands nightlife

A bold new vision for the West Midlands to become one of the most vibrant, safe and accessible regions after dark has been unveiled by Mayor Richard Parker. 

Measures, which include improving safety, boosting grassroots music venues, restoring night bus services and supporting businesses with costs, are set out in the first report to be published by the West Midlands Night-Time Economy Commission. 

The Mayor tasked leading voices from the region’s pubs, restaurants, theatres, cinemas and entertainment venues with drawing up the detailed assessment of the region’s nightlife and identifying how he can best support the sector. 

The night-time economy employs 324,000 people – about one in four of the region’s workforce. Around 100,000 of those work in the region’s nightlife sectors. But the industry is not currently firing on all cylinders, having been hit hard by Covid, the rising cost of living, and changes to licensing and regulation, alongside issues with public transport, safety and staffing. 

The Mayor has welcomed the Commission’s vision and ambition and has pledged to get to work on implementing the report’s 25 recommendations. 

He said: "Growing up, nights out were where you found your people. A new band, a great meal, a pub where everyone knew your name. It's where you felt part of something. That still matters - and it employs tens of thousands of people across our region.

"The West Midlands has a night-time economy worth fighting for great pubs, incredible food and music venues that gave the world Black Sabbath and Two-Tone. But it only works if people can get there and get home safely, if the streets feel welcoming, and if businesses know someone is on their side.

"This commission has done serious work and sets out some bold new ideas. Some of it we can deliver now. Some of it requires pushing government harder. All of it matters to our region's cultural offer and our future."

Recommendations set out in the report include: 

• Better night-time public transport with more frequent and affordable services late at night 

• A refreshed Night Safety Charter with a focus on women, LGBTQ+ and disabled people 

• Safe havens where workers or those on a night out can seek immediate help 

• Safer streets with better lighting and open public spaces hosting late-night events 

• Strengthened support for night-time workers through better training, wellbeing initiatives and improved conditions for delivery riders 

• Backing for grassroots music venues, independent hospitality businesses, theatres and cinemas to help sustain a diverse and vibrant night-time economy 

• Support for innovation and business growth including new technology to streamline booking systems and new uses for vacant spaces 

• Better promotion of the West Midlands’ night-time offer, from food and pubs to music, sport and culture 

• More joined-up regional strategies on licensing, safety and economic growth, alongside calls for national reform of business rates, VAT and street trading laws. 

 

Dr Chris Burden, chair of the Commission, said: “Together, we pooled our expertise from around the region and listened to a range of voices, from the venue owners to the people working in bars and restaurants, to draw up our plan for the future. 

“Our nightlife and our hospitality venues are varied and have an enormous amount to offer, but we know they could do better with the right support in place. That means building up transport, prioritising safety, and crucially tackling the costs of doing business. Our report sets out practical measures which we know will make a huge difference to our towns and cities and we look forward to continuing our work with the Mayor on getting them implemented.” 

The night-time economy is part of the region’s everyday economy which employs the workers who provide essential goods and services that people depend on daily. 

The West Midlands Growth Plan, launched by the Mayor last year, sets out how the region will work with these employers to make jobs more rewarding and secure. 

This is alongside more support for SMEs through Business Growth West Midlands (BGWM), bringing the bus network back into public control to provide better services for passengers, recruiting more Safer Travel Officers and providing support for initiatives to tackle sexual harassment in music and other entertainment venues. 

Read the full report and recommendations from the Mayor’s Night-Time Economy Commission on the WMCA website.