Westminster tops night-life table

The London borough of Westminster enjoys the highest night-time economy concentration in the UK, according to a joint report by research consultants TBR and Make Associates.

With a turnover of nearly £2.9 billion in 2009, Westminster topped the table, followed by Birmingham and Manchester. Fellow London borough Camden came in at fourth, while Hounslow leapt from 19th place in 2006 to 9th, suggesting a significant uplift from the opening of Heathrow Terminal Five.

The declining pub industry means that, compared with 2006, the report marked a 6% net decline in UK firms classified as “drink-led”. However TBR found that much of this slack had been taken up by the 3,000 net total of new food-led openings in that period.

Overall, the report painted a resilient picture of this sector of the economy, with the biggest growth in night-time employment coming from Milton Keynes. Meanwhile Cornwall’s tourist industry helped it achieve the highest turnover ranking for a rural area, despite a small decline from 2006.

The report calculates that in 2008 the UK’s night-time economy generated £66bn, employing nearly 1.3 million people across its core sectors, within which TBR counts pubs, bars, restaurants, clubs and theatres.

In total, the night-time economy represents around 10% of all UK employment and 8% of all UK firms.

Gabriel Savage, 14.09.2010