The people who make our night time economy, hospitality and drinks sectors thrive are also the people who often face some of the toughest challenges behind the scenes. That’s why we’re proud to be supporting Walk It Together 2026 alongside Ask For Clive and The Drinks Trust. This September, hospitality professionals, operators, suppliers, venues and supporters will come together to walk 14 miles of purpose, raising vital funds for The Drinks Trust and the incredible work they do supporting people across our sector. 📍 Manchester – 25th September 2026 Whether you work in hospitality, nightlife, events, drinks, entertainment or simply want to support an industry that brings people together every day, we’d love you to join us. Our sectors are built on community, connection and looking after one another. This is an opportunity to do exactly that. 💛 Walk with colleagues 💛 Raise funds for an important cause 💛 Show your support for the people behind our industry 💛 Be part of something bigger Spaces are limited, so don’t leave it too long. 🔗 buff.ly/PLQnbfO #WalkItTogether #DrinksTrust #NTIA #AskForClive #Hospitality #NightTimeEconomy #Nightlife #Community #Wellbeing #Fundraising #TogetherWeCan

Looking forward to speaking at the National Training Conference 2026 in Stratford-upon-Avon this November, bringing the night-time economy into the conversation and sharing insights with industry colleagues from across the country. Hold the date 18–20 November - Crowne Plaza Stratford-upon-Avon - #NTC2026 #NightTimeEconomy #NTIA

🚨 SAVE BBE STORE! HACKNEY'S MUSIC & CULTURAL GEM NEEDS YOU! 🎶✊🏾 ⏰ URGENT: DEADLINE FOR REPRESENTATIONS FAST APPROACHING! Hackney's beloved BBE Store is under threat – and TIME IS RUNNING OUT to make your voice heard! More than a record shop, BBE Store is a Black-owned, independent cultural hub celebrating music, creativity, heritage and community. ❤️ Now facing a premises licence review following allegations of public nuisance, its future could be at risk. We believe cultural spaces deserve fair, balanced and evidence-based decisions that also respect residents' concerns. ✊🏾 YOUR VOICE MATTERS – ACT NOW! It takes LESS THAN 2 MINUTES to add your support: 📝 Read our letter to Hackney's Licensing Sub-Committee ✍🏾 Add your details to support the representation ✅ Submit BEFORE THE DEADLINE! 🔗 ADD YOUR SUPPORT HERE: 👉 buff.ly/am1Vk0H 🚨 DON'T DELAY – THE DEADLINE IS IMMINENT! Every voice counts. Every representation matters. ❤️ SAVE BBE STORE. PROTECT CULTURE. KEEP HACKNEY CREATIVE! 📢 SHARE • REPOST • TAG YOUR NETWORK Let's make sure Hackney's music and cultural community is heard! 🎶✊🏾 #SaveBBEStore #BBEStore #SaveOurCulture #Hackney #ProtectCulturalSpaces

What makes a city open to nightlife? Permission matters, as do rules that can be tested, reviewed and funded. Three places are changing the machinery behind the night. Singapore has formalised its riverfront pilot. In Boat Quay, bars, pubs and clubs can seek approval for new nightlife uses. Across Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Upper Circular Road, operators can apply to serve alcohol until 4am on Thursdays and Fridays. Circular Road can close for events and pedestrian activity. During the pilot, authorities approved 37 new nightlife uses in Boat Quay and 92 applications for extended liquor hours across the areas. These are approvals, not a count of businesses that opened. Montréal is using qualification rather than a blanket extension. Performance venues and district groups can apply for longer hours under Nuits Montréal. Applicants must commit to responsible practices, neighbour relations and safety. District extensions are linked to authorised cultural events. The city offers help with exemptions and regulatory adaptation when a place qualifies. Newcastle has chosen to remove a charge. Its council agreed in October to end the Late Night Levy on venues opening after midnight from 31 October. It says the levy raised more than £215,000 annually. A new board administered by the local business improvement district is expected to oversee a replacement safety fund backed by the district and council. The lesson is not simply to stay open later. Make permissions clear, test changes against evidence and keep businesses, residents and public services involved in governing the night.

NTIA Calls on Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Chancellor John Healey to Reverse Previous Government Regimes National Insurance Increases as Job Vacancies Fall to Five-Year Low New ONS figures reveal UK job vacancies have fallen to 691,000, down 21,000, while unemployment stands at 4.7% and 715,000 young people aged 16–24 remain unemployed. The NTIA warns that restoring business confidence must be central to the upcoming Budget. Michael Kill, CEO, Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), said: “Today's employment figures expose a fundamental challenge facing the UK economy. While unemployment has marginally fallen to 4.7%, job vacancies have dropped to 691,000, their lowest level in five years, with 715,000 young people aged 16–24 still unemployed. “The night-time economy is one of the UK's largest employers of 18–30-year-olds, providing vital first jobs, skills development and long-term career opportunities. “The employer National Insurance increases introduced during the previous administration of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, raising contributions from 13.8% to 15% and reducing the secondary earnings threshold from £9,100 to £5,000, have significantly increased the cost of employment. “These decisions have contributed to an environment in which businesses are increasingly cautious about recruitment, with young people disproportionately exposed to the consequences. “The new administration, under Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Chancellor John Healey, now has an opportunity to change direction. “Reversing these National Insurance increases must be a central priority in the forthcoming Budget, alongside meaningful measures to restore business confidence, stimulate investment and support youth employment. “We cannot continue to ask businesses to create jobs while maintaining a tax environment that makes employing people increasingly expensive. Employment schemes and government incentives have their place, but they cannot replace commercially sustainable businesses. “Jobs do not exist without businesses. Sustainable businesses create sustainable employment. “If this Government is serious about getting young people back into work, this Budget must demonstrate a clear commitment to reducing the cost of employment and giving businesses the confidence to recruit. “The night-time economy stands ready to play its part in tackling youth unemployment, but the Government must first create the conditions that allow our businesses to invest, grow and employ the next generation. “This Budget must be a turning point, moving from policies that increase the cost of employment to policies that actively support job creation.”

Today I’ll move between our international NTIA community and conversations about nightlife closer to home, before heading to Amsterdam for ADE this evening. First, I’ll catch up with Michael Gibb from NTIA Australia, then get together with our NTIA team for the weekly meeting. I’m also hoping to speak with Deborah separately afterwards. Later in the morning, I’ll take part in a stakeholder research interview with Thinks for Ofgem. I’ll bring a nightlife perspective to that discussion. Energy will need to be part of any serious conversation about keeping venues trading, and our sector’s experience will deserve a hearing. Around midday, I’ll catch up with Jeff Welch. In the afternoon, I’ll speak with Councillor Daniel Butcher about Eastbourne’s night time economy. I’ll want us to think about the businesses and communities behind that phrase, and the place nightlife can have in a town’s future. A separate conversation with Bisi Oyekanmi from the 24 Hr London Office at the Greater London Authority will follow. Later, I’ll catch up with Eden Hills from Leeds City Council. I’ll be listening for what each place needs from its night time economy. Then I’ll speak with Satia Rai about a new and exciting development with IPSA. This evening, I’ll leave for Amsterdam, where I’ll engage with the World Cities Forum before taking part in the main ADE programme. I’ll take those local perspectives into a wider international conversation about the future of nightlife.

Good morning from the NTIA. With eight days until the Budget, the political argument is sharpening. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is calling for £70 billion in spending cuts, while reports suggest the Chancellor may leave capital gains tax unchanged. Neither tells us what will actually be in the Budget. The Business Secretary faces MPs today, with the cost of doing business firmly in view for pubs, clubs and venues. There is a practical travel development. A new private parking code laid before Parliament promises drivers five minutes to decide whether to park, ten minutes to leave after their session and stronger grounds to appeal unfair charges. Bradford Interchange has also been chosen for a new station, although it is not due until the 2030s. Better access to town and city centres matters to customers and staff alike. New official figures put UK unemployment at 4.7% for June to August. Ministers are preparing for a review of support for young people outside work or education, but benefit changes have not been decided. Opportunities, training and lasting jobs remain the real test. Internationally, Washington’s stance towards Russia and Ukraine is under renewed scrutiny, while France is recovering from violent unrest. At home, the North Sea oil decision remains pending. We will keep tracking what becomes policy and what it means for venue costs, journeys and confidence after dark.

What will the Government’s Budget mean for hospitality and the night time economy? Join the NTIA and Institute of Hospitality for a special webinar the day after the Budget, bringing together industry leaders to discuss the impact on taxation, operating costs, employment, investment and business confidence. Hosted by Michael Kill, CEO of the NTIA, alongside a panel of hospitality experts.

SAVE BBE STORE – HACKNEY'S MUSIC & CULTURAL GEM NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT! An important part of Hackney's music and cultural community is under threat – and your voice could help protect its future! BBE Store is more than just a record shop. It's a Black-owned, independent cultural hub – a space where music, creativity, community and culture come together in the heart of Hackney. Now, BBE Store faces a premises licence review following allegations of public nuisance, putting its future at risk. We believe that cultural spaces like BBE deserve to be heard, valued and treated fairly. Protecting London's vibrant music heritage shouldn't come at the expense of residents' concerns – but decisions must be fair, evidence-based and proportionate. ✊ THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN! We're calling on music lovers, creatives, local residents and everyone who values independent cultural spaces to stand with BBE Store. It takes less than TWO MINUTES to make your voice count: 📝 Read our letter to Hackney's Licensing Sub-Committee. ✍️ Add your details to substantiate the submission, make it count! ✅ Hit submit – and help us make our collective voice heard! Every signature matters. Every voice counts. Let's show Hackney just how much spaces like BBE Store mean to our communities, our culture and London's musical identity. ❤️ SUPPORT BBE STORE. PROTECT CULTURE. KEEP HACKNEY CREATIVE. 👉 Add your support today – it takes less than 2 minutes! Linke Here: buff.ly/am1Vk0H Please share far and wide. The more voices we bring together, the stronger our message!

New Government Powers to Tackle Anti-Social Behaviour on Buses: Safer Journeys Must Not Mean More Disorder on Our Streets Context: On 19 October 2026, the Government published new guidance enabling local transport authorities in England to introduce and enforce byelaws tackling anti-social behaviour on buses and at bus premises. The measures, introduced through the Bus Services Act 2025, allow authorities to address threatening behaviour, alcohol-related nuisance, vaping and other disturbances, with fixed penalties of up to £100. Michael Kill CEO NTIA Says: "We welcome measures to improve safety on public transport and protect passengers and transport workers. However, tackling drunkenness and anti-social behaviour on buses must be considered within the wider challenges facing our town and city centres at night. There is a risk that removing intoxicated or disruptive individuals from public transport simply displaces the problem onto our streets, potentially increasing vulnerability, disorder and pressure on policing and local services. A joined-up approach is essential, ensuring that enforcement is proportionate, safeguarding is prioritised and transport policy works alongside wider efforts to tackle alcohol-related harm and anti-social behaviour. The priority must be safer transport, safer streets and safe journeys home, not simply moving the problem elsewhere." Government guidance: buff.ly/IoYp6n9

Looking forward to speaking at the National Training Conference 2026 in Stratford-upon-Avon this November, bringing the night-time economy into the conversation and sharing insights with industry colleagues from across the country. Hold the date 18–20 November - Crowne Plaza Stratford-upon-Avon - #NTC2026 #NightTimeEconomy #NTIA

A great night can unravel in minutes when someone is injured, overwhelmed or unable to get home. Nightlife policy must make care available while the city is awake. Dublin tested a weekend welfare and medical Help Zone in its city centre. From July to December 2025, staff offered first response care, reassurance and help with de escalation between 10pm and 4am. The council recorded about 2,000 engagements during the pilot. That is a measure of contact, not proof that every emergency was prevented, but it shows the value of placing assistance where people gather. Canberra has committed to keeping its CBR NightCrew for another two years. Working from a tent at the Civic bus interchange and through roving patrols, the service offers first aid, water, phone charging and a staffed safe space. The territory says the team helped nearly 2,000 people in the final quarter of 2025 and reduced or avoided 73 ambulance attendances. Nightlife support can be both compassionate and a sensible use of emergency capacity. New Orleans brings the same principle inside the industry. Ahead of its 2026 parade season, its nightlife office and state health department organised pop ups for hospitality workers offering naloxone, fentanyl test strips, limited drink test strips and venue safety information. These are tools for recognising and responding to harm, not a substitute for professional medical services. Across these places, the lesson is clear: safer nightlife depends on reachable help, equipped staff and systems that meet people at the moment they need them.

I’ll be on BBC Radio London early this morning, before getting into conversations about the people putting on nights and the places that give them a home. After a call with Claire Louise, I’ll catch up with the LNC team. Around midday, Luke Richards and I will get together for our National Promoters Society and NTIA meeting. The people taking a chance on a gig or club night will need to be part of any conversation about the future of our sector. In the afternoon, I’ll meet Eylon Garfunkel from Labtech in Camden to discuss the Camden Market masterplan strategy. I’ll be bringing a nightlife perspective to that conversation. How we plan our places will matter to the businesses, artists and communities who use them after dark. A separate catch up with Jay Pender will follow. Later, I’ll join colleagues from across hospitality, music and culture for our Trade Communication Meeting. We’ll work through sector updates, policy developments and government engagement, alongside our collective asks and campaigns. I’ll want us to be clear about where working together can strengthen the case we make to policymakers. After an LFL meeting with the team.., I’ll then head to the Institute of Hospitality Fellows’ Dinner at the Kimpton Fitzroy London. That will be a chance to spend the evening with the wider hospitality community, carrying the day’s conversations beyond the calls and meeting rooms.

Good morning from the NTIA. With the 28 October Budget approaching, the government is opening the week with measures to make public transport more pleasant. New guidance helps councils in England enforce local bus rules against loud music, vaping and littering, with penalties of up to £100. A rail campaign reminds passengers of existing rules on playing audio aloud. For people travelling to and from gigs, venues and late shifts, the quality of the journey matters. These measures do not add late services. The bigger Westminster question is opportunity for young people. The Prime Minister says the welfare system should help more people under 25 into work, with an independent review due next month. Ministers are also setting out apprenticeship plans. Any changes to benefits remain proposals, and delivery will matter to employers and young workers across our sector. Budget reporting includes possible tax changes for family business transfers, but nothing has been announced. The Lords is continuing its examination of the Railways Bill, while Reform UK faces scrutiny after ITV aired its undercover investigation. Abroad, the UK Defence Secretary faces questions about US policy towards Russia and Ukraine. The Home Secretary is also meeting an EU commissioner on migration and security cooperation. We will keep watching what turns into practical policy for jobs, transport and businesses after dark.

SAVE BBE STORE – HACKNEY'S MUSIC & CULTURAL GEM NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT! An important part of Hackney's music and cultural community is under threat – and your voice could help protect its future! BBE Store is more than just a record shop. It's a Black-owned, independent cultural hub – a space where music, creativity, community and culture come together in the heart of Hackney. Now, BBE Store faces a premises licence review following allegations of public nuisance, putting its future at risk. We believe that cultural spaces like BBE deserve to be heard, valued and treated fairly. Protecting London's vibrant music heritage shouldn't come at the expense of residents' concerns – but decisions must be fair, evidence-based and proportionate. ✊ THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN! We're calling on music lovers, creatives, local residents and everyone who values independent cultural spaces to stand with BBE Store. It takes less than TWO MINUTES to make your voice count: 📝 Read our letter to Hackney's Licensing Sub-Committee. ✍️ Add your details to substantiate the submission, make it count! ✅ Hit submit – and help us make our collective voice heard! Every signature matters. Every voice counts. Let's show Hackney just how much spaces like BBE Store mean to our communities, our culture and London's musical identity. ❤️ SUPPORT BBE STORE. PROTECT CULTURE. KEEP HACKNEY CREATIVE. 👉 Add your support today – it takes less than 2 minutes! Linke Here: buff.ly/am1Vk0H Please share far and wide. The more voices we bring together, the stronger our message!

What will the Government’s Budget mean for hospitality and the night time economy? Join the NTIA and Institute of Hospitality for a special webinar the day after the Budget, bringing together industry leaders to discuss the impact on taxation, operating costs, employment, investment and business confidence. Hosted by Michael Kill, CEO of the NTIA, alongside a panel of hospitality experts.

Looking forward to speaking at Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) next week! 🎧🇳🇱 Always one of the highlights of the year with great people, great conversations, plenty of parties and even more opportunities! If you're heading to ADE, drop me a message or DM. Always keen to catch up, meet new faces, exchange ideas and see what exciting opportunities are out there. See you in Amsterdam! 🖤💛 #ADE2026 #AmsterdamDanceEvent #MusicIndustry #Networking

What does a city lose when the answer to noise is less music? Three places are testing a better question: how can performances and neighbourhood life coexist? Stuttgart is investing in buildings. Its Noise Reduction Infrastructure Fund supports eligible clubs with acoustic studies, measuring equipment, curtains and structural work. Grants can cover up to 75 per cent of eligible costs, with projects addressing documented conflicts. The funding round has closed, and recipients are implementing improvements. Supported venues must continue operating at the site for at least two years after completion. Public money is tied to cultural continuity. Montréal approaches the issue through its nightlife policy. Its programme for independent performance venues helps owners meet regulatory requirements, and includes support for acoustic studies and building work. Eligibility asks venues to have presented at least 35 publicised shows in the previous year and to maintain performance use for five years. Protecting live culture requires technical fixes and a commitment to keep programming. Eastwood, in Australia, is tackling sound before its proposed special entertainment precinct is established. A New South Wales grant of $250,000 will fund planning, community consultation and acoustic studies to help set trading hours and sound settings. Local businesses and residents were invited into a working group to help shape and monitor the precinct. These examples are not promises of silence. They are attempts to replace conflict with evidence, investment and shared rules. If cities want thriving venues and liveable streets, sound must be designed for, not merely complained about.

Plenty to get into today, starting with something that deserves more attention in nightlife: looking after our hearing while celebrating the music. I’ll pick up ListenforLife and plans for Noise Action Week 2027 this morning. Then it’ll be over to the Uber team for its Night Shift campaign, before catching up with our marketing team on how we tell the NTIA story. Later in the morning, there’s a planned introductory meeting with the SLT from Metropolitan Gaming. I’ll also catch up separately with Gabriel Kagan. Around midday, Connor and I will get together for our weekly National Promoters Society and NTIA meeting, with Luke Richards potentially joining us too. Promoters will need to be part of shaping the future of live music and club culture. We’ll need to back the people prepared to take a chance on putting on a night. In the afternoon, I’ll speak with Jono alongside the NTIA team. A speaker application call about NTIA will follow. Then I’ll catch up with Shahzad Ali and the OnSiren team. Separately, I’ll get an update from BioBuds with Samuel Levey. Later, I’ll catch up with Wambui Kinyua from Nairobi Kenya before rounding things off with Phil Street from the Institute of Hospitality for an I’m In recording podcast. Across those conversations, I’ll keep coming back to the people behind the sector. We’ll need their experience, their ideas and their voices as we work out what comes next.

Good morning from the NTIA. The Prime Minister heads to Lanarkshire today to make his case for more local power as the SNP meets in Aberdeen. Decisions about planning, transport and town centres matter to the places that come alive after dark, although the detail of any new powers is still to come. The 28 October Budget is drawing closer. Reports suggest the Chancellor is considering a higher tax on bank profits, but no Budget decision has been announced. Energy security is also in the spotlight as Scotland debates the future of North Sea oil. There is a direct Westminster story for hospitality today. MPs are due to consider the Heritage Public Houses Bill, which proposes local registers and stronger planning protections for historic pubs. It is a proposal at its second reading, not a change in the law. Reform UK faces further scrutiny following ITV’s undercover investigation into remarks and conduct within the party. Overseas, Ukraine’s president is heading to the European Council summit to seek support. The UK Defence Secretary says a disrupted satellite service used by Ukraine has been restored, while the cause remains unclear. For the nighttime economy, we are watching the practical decisions on local powers, venue protection, energy costs and confidence.

Looking forward to speaking at the National Training Conference 2026 in Stratford-upon-Avon this November, bringing the night-time economy into the conversation and sharing insights with industry colleagues from across the country. Hold the date 18–20 November - Crowne Plaza Stratford-upon-Avon - #NTC2026 #NightTimeEconomy #NTIA