London is getting its first-ever “Nightlife Taskforce”.

Set up by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, the 11-person group will help tackle the “huge range of challenges” currently faced by the capital’s nightlife industry, according to a press release published yesterday (4th February).

These challenges include “the long-lasting impact of the pandemic, rising rents and business rates, staffing shortages, licensing and planning issues, and cost-of-living and cost-of-doing business pressures”.

The independent taskforce will “meet regularly” over the next six months to “examine and address the challenges and opportunities facing London’s ever-evolving nightlife”. The taskforce will build on a number of recommendations, from “protecting hundreds of venues from closure through the Culture and Community Spaces at Risk office” to launching the Women’s Night Safety Charter.

The move comes after former Night Czar Amy Lamé stepped down from her role last October, although the Mayor told Mixmag that the taskforce “not a replacement for the Night Czar”.

fabric co-founder and director Cameron Leslie will chair the group. Among the other members are Pxssy Palace’s Nadine Noor, Colour Factory and Jumbi founder Nathanael Williams, Night Time Industries Association (NITA) CEO Michael Kill, Broadwick Live’s head of operations Sam Spencer, Alice Hoffmann-Fuller, consultant and former Head of Operations at Corsica Studios, and Daytimers and Dialled In co-founder Provhat Rahman.

In a statement, Mayor Sadiq Kahn said: “Their expertise and unparalleled knowledge garnered from years of working across a range of night-time industries will help to inform and develop our collective efforts to support nightlife, as we continue to build a better London for everyone.”

Leslie added: “This group that has come together, represents some of the best of what London has to offer, across an incredibly broad spectrum. We are all excited about the future of nightlife in our wonderful city, and are also acutely aware of the stark challenges we face.

“The Taskforce cannot wave a magic wand to make things better but I truly believe through our experience, expertise, knowledge, relationships and desire we can put forward something meaningful by which all stakeholders and individuals who genuinely want to see London’s vibrant night-time economy thrive and grow can then get behind.”

Read the full statement and see who else is on the taskforce here.

Read DJ Mag’s 2024 feature, What is the future of London clubbing?, here.

A report published by the NITA in November revealed that 90% of UK nightlife venues are struggling with rising costs. Meanwhile, an estimated three UK venues disappeared every week in 2024.