The night-time economy needs to be safer and more welcoming for people who don’t drink alcohol and don’t want to go to a pub, councillors were told.
Labour councillor Mitchie Alexander said that Brighton and Hove City Council was looking at ways to diversify the current offer.
Councillor Alexander, the council’s acting cabinet member for culture, heritage and tourism, said that when most people thought of Brighton and Hove’s night life they thought of pubs, clubs and restaurants.
She told the council’s new Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee at Hove Town Hall yesterday (Tuesday 23 July) that many people wanted a wider offer.
She said: “We have many people who don’t drink alcohol and don’t want to go to a pub. If you’re in the centre of Brighton at 8pm on a Friday night and fancy a cup of coffee, where’s open? Nowhere.
“As a city we need to be exploring how we can diversify the night-time offer which works well for the economy at the moment and what people visit for.
“But we need to be more inclusive and encourage people to stay longer and overnight or for a couple of days.”
Councillor Alexander said that the council was looking to join the Purple Flag international accreditation programme for cities with a thriving night life.
The Association of Town and City Management offers Purple Flags to towns and cities where night-time economies are well planned, with a wide variety of offerings and safe ways to get home.
Part of the work will involve identifying venues and safe spaces that support people who are LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex and asexual plus).
Venues would need to align with the council’s approach to reducing violence against women and girls, she said.
Bournemouth, Bristol and Oxford have achieved Purple Flag status.
Mary Davies, from the Older People’s Council, said that many public toilets were shut by the early evening, adding: “Accessing public toilets is a really big issue for older people coming into the city.
“It seems to be entirely absent when thinking about the night-time economy. Has any thought been given to it?”
Councillor Alexander said that the issue had come up when discussing diversifying the night-time economy.
She said that it would need to be addressed if Brighton and Hove were to welcome a wider variety of people who did not want to use pub toilets.
You’re not going to turn Brighton into a place where sophisticated people are going to pop out after 8 for a coffee. Get real.
Facts!
They would if it was a weed cafe with some live music and tasty sides.
BRIGHTON JUST CATERS FOR THE PISSHEAD COMMUNITY EITHER STREET DRINKERS WHO BLIGHT THE CITY – WHY CAN’T THEY GET BLADDERED AT HOME OR IN WETHERSPOONS AND MORE Sophisticated PISSHEADS IN PONCEY PUBS AND WINE BARS
Please could you elaborate?
You core thesis eludes me although the forcefulness of your delivery is laudable.
I don’t think they know what the capslock key does and keep accidentally mashing it.
An amazing dichotomy of modern-life thinking… How is it possible to have inclusion that also caters for exclusive preference..
I think the overwhelming factor here is that such venues described would be businesses, and such businesses would not do well in a nighttime economy.
So tell us Mitchie, what is your business plan? How much of the Brighton night life takings are through coffee and non-alcoholic drink sales compared to booze? Were you elected on the basis of your sound business advisory skills? I rather doubt it.
Currently , you can’t compare , as there is not really anything available other than bars etc. This is the plan/idea , to have more than just booze on offer.
Theatre? Cinema? Bowling? Restaurants?
They are some good examples, but I don’t see what changes can be made to these or other night life venues which will make them less reliant upon alcohol sales and remain profitable. And is that actually desirable for the majority anyway? I don’t know of any establishments where you cannot get a soft drink.
That’s ironic – Brighton developed it’s cool reputation in an era where bar owners complained the customers were only drinking water.
clueless – clearly, if there was demand, it would already exist…take note of the alcohol free bar that closed in Kemptown. it didn’t work. cheap rent, cheap area of town and still not enough sales…basics.