lambeth after dark final - whatdotheyknow

Lambeth After Dark: Getting Serious About the Night-Time Economy

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A report by

The Association of Town & City Management, TBR and MAKE Associates

For

The London Borough of Lambeth

April 2013


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Contents SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………3

1 STUDY PURPOSE .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

1.1 Why study Lambeth’s night-time economy? ....................... 11

1.2 Study objective ................................................................ 11

1.3 Lambeth’s six town ‘centres’ ............................................. 12

1.4 Specific aims.................................................................... 13

1.5 The study approach ......................................................... 14

2 STUDY CONTEXT .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

2.1 Why is nightlife so important? ........................................... 16

2.2 The national ‘after dark’ landscape .................................... 18

2.3 National night-time economy policy context ....................... 19

2.4 Lambeth night-time economy policy context ...................... 22

3 AFTER DARK BENEFITS & COSTS .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

3.1 “If you can’t measure, you can’t manage…” ....................... 29

3.2 The economics of Lambeth’s after dark.............................. 34

3.3 TBR-MAKE NightMix vs. GLA models .................................. 43

4 THE SIX TOWN CENTRES.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

4.1 Clapham: ‘Night-time explosion’ ........................................ 48

4.2 Waterloo-South Bank: Making the connections................... 88

4.3 Vauxhall: 21st Century Pleasure Gardens? .........................101

4.4 Brixton: After dark rennaisance ........................................113

4.5 Streatham: A new kind of high street ...............................123

4.6 West Norwood & Tulse Hill: A little TLC ............................138

5 ‘IDEAS INTO ACTION’ - NEXT STEPS .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

5.1 Introduction ...................................................................153

5.2 Lambeth’s ‘After Dark Vision’ ...........................................153

5.3 After Dark Targets ..........................................................154

5.4 Three Key Drivers ...........................................................156

5.5 Town Centres: Clpaham ..................................................161

5.6 Closing statement ...........................................................170


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Executive Summary

Summary


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In the night-time economy there is no stasis; just a virtuous upward journey or a downward spiral. With real focus and political will a further 3,000 jobs could be generated over the next decade in a healthier, safer Lambeth. Without stewardship, our global experience tells us the reverse will happen. Lambeth must seize this once in a generation opportunity!

• In autumn 2012 the London Borough of Lambeth commissioned the

Association of Town & City Management, economists TBR and night-

time strategy specialists MAKE Associates to undertake an economic,

social and spatial study into Lambeth’s ‘night-time economy’.

• The purpose of the research was to understand for the first time the

scale and impact of the borough’s night-time economy and make

appropriate recommendations for changes in borough-wide

licensing, planning, safety, community, tourism and economic policy to

achieve a more sustainable borough ‘after dark’.

• The resulting study is the first anywhere in the world to

examine comprehensively a multi-centre night-time economy.

It examines Lambeth’s ‘after dark’ role within London and provides a

Lambeth-wide picture of what is happening between 6pm and 6am. It

also provides specific insight into the borough’s night-time hotspot of

Clapham, as well as its five other main centres: Waterloo-South Bank,

Vauxhall, Brixton, Streatham and West Norwood-Tulse Hill.

• The study takes place at a time when the Mayor of London has

issued guidance (Alcohol Consumption and the Night-Time Economy)

on better evidencing and managing the capital’s after dark economy

and is, therefore, critically timed.

• The night-time economy is of outstanding importance to

Lambeth, particularly compared to most London boroughs. It

provides 4,500 jobs for locals, contributes to successful town

centres, and helps create places where people want to live and visit.

• However, Lambeth’s night-time economy has evolved in an ad

hoc way and the vision, strategy, research and tailored policy

formation that it needs is absent. This has led to two areas of concern.

• Firstly, some after dark growth has caused problems (e.g. crime,

negative health outcomes). Secondly, areas that have performed well

could have done better, while some have been left behind.

• The ‘ideas for action’ located at the end of this study should form the

basis for a new approach for Lambeth’s night-time economy.

• Lambeth’s new ‘after dark vision’ will need to be food, entertainment

and culture, rather than alcohol-led.

• To deliver this vision Lambeth must demonstrate leadership,

coherent strategy, partnership and more robust enforcement.

What are the main conclusions? Why study Lambeth’s nightlife?


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• Our research shows the night-time economy in Lambeth is worth

£505m in annual sales and it directly accounts for around 8,000

jobs (4,500 of whom are Lambeth residents). These people are

employed by nearly 1,000 after dark businesses.

• Night-time economy employment in Lambeth is around three times

the national average for this sector.

• The figures show that the Lambeth night-time economy has

substantially outperformed many of the borough’s other

economic sectors over the last ten years.

• Over 2001 to 2011 the Lambeth night-time economy has delivered

increased gross value added (GVA) to a level of 40%. The rest of the

Lambeth economy has increased GVA by around 4%.

• We estimate that there is the potential for Lambeth to set targets for

the sector to grow turnover by 50% (to £750m) by 2025 and to

employ at least a further 3,000 people (to 11,000) in more

than 300 additional firms (1,300 in total) over that period.

• The night-time economy, although not wholly causative of the public

service costs between 6pm and 6am, does have a negative impact. To

this end we estimate frontline policing to cost at least half a million

pounds a year, health services at least £1.3m annually (for immediate

care around night-time admissions e.g. A&E presentations, paramedic

call outs) and council services such as cleansing and planning cost

around £2.7m annually. In total this is around £4.5m annually.

• However, these frontline costs are the ‘tip of the iceberg’, the

research shows that both health and crime costs will inevitably be

much higher. For example, a proportionate share of the Met’s

operational budget for crime committed in the hours of the night-time

economy would be in the tens of millions. Likewise, the costs of

subsequent treatment and a share of the hospitals’ capital and revenue

costs may be of an even greater magnitude.

• It’s important to note that most council ‘costs’ are not predominantly

the result of ‘negative’ activity in the night-time economy, but of

general service provision ‘after dark’ e.g. licensing, planning.

• Whilst the benefits are substantially larger in pure monetary terms than

costs, they should not be compared as if this is a justification for

‘business as usual’. Only with a clear vision, appropriate

resourcing, sound strategic management and effective

regulation can we expect costs to fall, whilst the number of

jobs, firms and sales can simultaneously grow in a way that is

genuinely sustainable.

Measuring progress

The downsides

The upsides


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• Clapham is now the alcohol-led centre of Lambeth and a large

part of its local economy is dependent on the late night-time economy,

attracting visitors from outer London, Surrey and Kent.

• However, its composition after dark is skewed excessively towards late

night drinking, music and dancing. This has brought significant rises

in crime and health harms and causes distress to many local

residents. Clapham after dark is reminiscent of a city centre and has

exceeded the ‘carrying capacity’ of what is only a district centre.

• Exacerbating this is the absence of the late night infrastructure

consistent with the good practice in managing a dense ‘destination’

night-time economy (e.g. taxi marshalling, early intervention policing).

This has started to change with the arrival of a new night-time

economy manager, a position we recommend is retained.

• Clapham requires serious attention. It needs a plan to retain some

of its later evening vibrancy while refocusing on its natural function

as an 18 (not 24) hour district centre; a place primarily offering

local services such as shops, restaurants, a handful of pubs and bars

and the cinema to residents with a more modest number of night time

visitors. This is particularly important for local older generations and

families who are currently almost entirely absent after dark.

• Waterloo-South Bank is the star performer in the borough’s

night-time economy, accounting for the lion’s share of turnover,

firms and employment. It also has the highest profile for arts, culture,

fine dining and as an international business centre.

• Waterloo-South Bank still has considerable potential for after

dark growth, but it is fragmented (e.g. how does the South Bank sit

with The Cut and with Lower Marsh?), and has serious public realm

issues. A determined effort will be needed to unite the fragments and

create the right context for more quality night-time investment.

• On the face of it Vauxhall is struggling to be a town centre, being split

into pieces by road and rail. In addition to its important gay venues,

our statistics show there is more to Vauxhall’s night-time

economy that many people will be unaware of.

• However, it is the future of the area and neighbouring Battersea that is

crucial. The Mayor’s Opportunity Area Planning Framework outlines

Vauxhall’s role in housing, leisure and employment growth, yet the

evening and night-time economy, which is key to ‘place-

making’, is not considered. To correct this, in subsequent delivery

plans the night-time economy must have a prominent place.

Vauxhall

Waterloo-South Bank Clapham


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• Brixton has long been a vibrant but edgy centre both day and night. It

possesses arguably the leading national popular music venue (O2

Academy) and a number of other unique attractions but its night-

time economy is relatively low in value.

• Recent changes in composition show Brixton is now appealing

more to quality-conscious visitors and locals and there is

substantial potential for growth and change in Brixton. This is positive,

provided Brixton can retain its distinctive character.

• Like Clapham, Brixton’s late night management infrastructure

needs to be raised to meet best practice and it must market its

after dark offer more effectively.

• Streatham once boasted an unbroken two-mile stretch of shopping,

leisure and entertainment. This has gone; leaving gap sites where

major retailers stood and some large and empty buildings.

• The surrounding, increasingly affluent, residential population is

capable of supporting new aspirational clusters of retail and

leisure activity. Indeed, in recent years new night-time economy

activities, such as quality restaurants and bars, have appeared and the

‘Streatham Hub’ mixed-use development will continue that change.

• However, it is time to establish a clear vision and regulatory

structure to shape this trend before it becomes

unmanageable. If controls are stepped up elsewhere in the borough

there could be an influx of noisy venues – to the disadvantage of local

residents.

• West Norwood and Tulse Hill are the least glamorous of Lambeth’s

night-time centres but have some after dark potential.

• West Norwood needs a little ‘TLC ‘and just one aspirational food-

led venue will start the ball rolling. Lighting St Luke’s Church

and making its car park a multifunction public space would also provide

an opportunity for creative after dark community activities.

• Tulse Hill needs public realm and traffic de-prioritisation changes to

make it less hostile before anything is likely to flourish here.

• Both West Norwood and Tulse Hill have a flood of takeaways,

which do them no favours and need to be curbed urgently

through the use of planning and licensing controls.

Streatham

West Norwood and Tulse Hill

Brixton


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• After many ad hoc initiatives but with no evidence base about one of

Lambeth’s most important industries, this study must be the start of

‘getting serious’ about Lambeth’s night-time economy’.

• There are over 60 ‘ideas’ for action in the study’s ‘Next Steps’ section,

all of which are geared to turning Lambeth’s night-time economy

from good to great. They include:

• The creation of an ‘After Dark Vision’ for Lambeth that sets out the

type of night-time economy the council and partners are trying to

achieve and which influences all other policies and plans.

• A Lambeth Night-Time Economy Action Plan covering the next

five years that tests the ideas set out in this study and embeds them in

an achievable, costed plan with individual ownership of actions.

• A Lambeth Night-Time Economy Delivery Group of public and

private organisations that helps develop the Action Plan and which

monitors its implementation.

• A Night-Time Economy Investment Prospectus to set out

Lambeth’s corporate night-time policy for the borough and the type of

‘offer’ and investment that it encourages in each town centre.

• The above to be facilitated by a ‘Night-Time Economy Business

Manager’ and supported by specialist courses at a local college-based

‘National Night-Time Economy Centre of Training Excellence’.

• A ‘Night-Time Economy Champion’ of seniority to advocate for the

sector and to ensure policy works with the vision not against it.

• A night-time economy performance management regime to

monitor progress annually against the baseline figures in this study.

• State-of-the-art Night-Time Economy Management Plans in the

most active centres: Clapham, Brixton, Waterloo to mitigate problems

and seize short-term opportunities. Addressing issues from de-

cluttering, night-time congestion, toilet provision, street pastors etc. as

part of bids to secure Purple Flag accreditation.

Ideas into action

Setting ‘after dark’ targets… Below are sustainable growth targets by 2025 for Lambeth’s NTE and its town centres (the rationale for each is in the main report):

• Lambeth: turnover of £750m, creating a further 3,000+ jobs in food (not take-away), entertainment and arts, while halving costs.

• Waterloo-South Bank (current employment: 2,355). With 5% annual growth by 2025 this would add 1,178 jobs.

• Vauxhall (current employment: 998). With 10% annual growth would add 998 jobs.

• Clapham (current employment: 1,235). No job growth (albeit possibly higher quality ones requiring different skillsets).

• Brixton (current employment: 876). With 5% annual growth this would add 430 jobs.

• Streatham (current employment: 735). With 7.5% annual growth this would add 590 jobs.

• West Norwood & Tulse Hill (current employment: 495). With 5% annual growth this would add 247 jobs.


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• Specific work to animate the Vauxhall, Battersea & Nine Elms

Masterplan to create a genuinely exciting and active new

neighbourhood and destination; avoiding the potential for a dull and

soulless corporate annexe. The current Cultural Study can help this.

• Supporting BIDs to deliver a sustainable night-time economy:

Clapham’s BID (if voted in) must address its night-time

problems and the Brixton BID needs to be established as

rapidly as possible to promote what is an exciting after dark offer.

• Detailed Place Plans for all six centres where the night-time economy

is part of a rounded long-term community-led vision for each town.

• A radically enhanced spatial planning approach to the night-time

economy for both its growth and mitigation against over-density

including a more nuanced approach to A3, A4, A5 mix, enforcement

around ‘A3 creep’ and restricting takeaways (A5) wherever possible.

• A much more robust approach to licensing policy and

enforcement; maintenance of the Clapham Cumulative Impact

Area and an innovative Waterloo-South Bank & Vauxhall ‘Off

Sales’ Cumulative Impact Area to be considered in order to help

address street drinking problems.

• Hold the Late Night Levy and EMROs in reserve, but only if BIDs

work, e.g. if Clapham wants to avoid such drastic tools, it needs its BID

to deliver serious after dark change in the town… quickly.

• There needs to be a greater commitment to animation and

events across the borough after dark, utilising spaces such as

Windrush Square, Venn Street Clapham and St Luke’s Church in West

Norwood as part of the Place Plans and BID business plans.

Getting serious after dark…

Lambeth’s night-time economy can achieve London-wide significance. The Plan for London and the Mayor’s framework for Vauxhall, Nine Elms & Battersea are supportive.

This is a golden opportunity for Lambeth to reinvent itself as a leading player in the after dark sector in London, to the benefit of businesses, employers, residents, job-seekers and visitors.

Lambeth’s night-time economy must be taken seriously. If it isn’t, the benefits may well be missed - but the negative impacts will surely continue to be experienced by all.


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1 STUDY PURPOSE

SECTION 1 Study purpose


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1.1 Why study Lambeth ’s night-time economy?

Increasingly, policymakers and practitioners in the areas of health, crime,

urbanism, placemaking and town centre management are realising that

the night-time economy - broadly that period of town and city operation

between 6pm and 6am - presents a number of major opportunities and

threats to creating sustainable places in which to live, work and visit. As a

result some locations are taking a much more serious approach to

understanding and managing this fast changing urban phenomenon.

This section (Section 1) sets out the aims of this study and the approach

we adopted to deliver it. Section 2 outlines the local and national policy

landscape that will influence what the borough can do in implementing our

ideas for a new ‘after dark vision’ for Lambeth. Section 3 summarises the

costs and benefits of Lambeth’s night-time economy, while Section 4

examines each of the borough’s six night-time economy town centres in

depth. Section 5 brings all this research together into a set of ‘ideas for

action’ that form the basis of our recommended ‘next steps’.

1.2 Study objective

The Association of Town & City Management (ATCM), economists TBR and

night-time strategists MAKE Associates were commissioned by the London

Borough of Lambeth to:

Carry out a study into economic and social impacts of the

night-time economy of Lambeth.

The brief was for Lambeth as a whole, and for its six ‘town centres’:

• Clapham

• Waterloo-South Bank

• Vauxhall

• Brixton

• Streatham

• West Norwood-Tulse Hill.


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1.3 Lambeth ’s s ix town ‘centres ’

Clapham is famous for its leafy common which

drew affluent residents. Now it attracts visitors from

south London, Kent and beyond to the pubs,

restaurants and late night clubs of the High Street

and Old Town. It is a sensitive mix: during the day

it is a busy neighbourhood high street but at night it

can spin out of control.

Streatham used to be a major UK shopping centre

with prime entertainment along the two-mile long

High Road. Many brands have moved elsewhere

though the ice rink and swimming pool are being

redeveloped. It may not regain its former glory, but

the surrounding and increasingly affluent population

should be able to sustain an emerging cluster of

aspirational retail, leisure, eating and drinking.

Vauxhall struggles to be a town centre with a

massive bus station, traffic gyratory and viaduct

blocking pedestrian links to the Thames. Home to

thriving gay venues in the railway arches. Ambitious

proposals for Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea are

taking shape. One result could be a new town

centre with eating and drinking part of a vibrant mix

that attracts people to Vauxhall. Another is a bland

anywhere kind of place. Crucial the latter is avoided.

Waterloo & the South Bank Major gateway to

London with Waterloo Station at its heart. World’s

leading cultural hub. Part of the GLA’s Central

Activity Zone and Lambeth’s leading employment

and (after dark employment) centre. Unrivalled

choice of restaurants but physically fragmented with

areas of appeal split by railway lines, arches and

major road arteries.

Brixton has come of age as a thriving and

distinctive shopping centre with a vibrant nightlife.

The 02 Academy is the leading UK destination for

live music, it has superb later opening markets and

Brixton Village is attracting a rich mix of restaurants.

Many are still deterred by the stubbornly high crime

rate, which though better, needs continued focus.

West Norwood/Tulse Hill Defined by its

eponymous stations this suburban centre has lost

out to competition from other larger centres. The

traditional pubs are diminishing in common with

current trends and the most common after-hours

activity are takeaways, though one or two

restaurants have opened. In terms of character and

potential, West Norwood has the edge with its

imposing St Luke’s church on the hill, South London

theatre and library and community facilities nearby.


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1.4 Specific aims

There were a number of aims and areas of particular focus within this

overall objective. These were:

• To understand the size and dynamic of the night-time economy and its

impact on the wider economy of the main town centres in Lambeth.

• To understand the economic costs and benefits of the night-time

economy in Clapham and other major town centres and districts.

• To identify tensions and opportunities arising from the growth of the

night-time economy, with a particular focus on the anti-social

behaviour, environmental crime and health issues and its resulting

impact on local residents, venues and communities in the main towns.

• To assist in understanding the implications for Lambeth in terms of

promotion, management and control of the night-time economy.

• To suggest approaches to the management of the night-time economy

which are tailored to the needs of the specific major town centres and

districts.

• To assist in developing a new licensing policy and how to deliver better

coordination between planning policy and licensing.

• Review of current planning core strategy and planning policies and how

these should be updated under the new localism and Local Plan regime

in order to reflect the issues arising from the growth of the night-time

economy.

• Advice on interpretation and implementation of planning use categories

to both solve problems but also to encourage more diverse night-time

economy.

• To suggest good practice in the management of the night-time

economy that might be adopted in Lambeth from elsewhere.

• To advise on bringing together public and private sector partners to

promote Lambeth’s night-time economy - where appropriate - and

ensuring that local businesses have an increased role in minimising its

any negative impacts.

Throughout all of these aims, a particular focus was paid to Clapham

due to statistics and local perceptions showing that its night-time economy

(which runs very late into the night for a suburban centre) had

‘overheated’ and was now a major source of crime and health impacts in

the borough.


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1.5 The study approach

Below is the approach to the study. Each data stage is shown overleaf.

“The research process used in this study of Lambeth’s evening and night-time economy is the most rigorous and comprehensive yet undertaken in the UK. It is also the world’s first multimodal after dark urban study.”

Alistair Turnham, MAKE Principal


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Below are further details of the data sources used in the study:

1. Benefit & Cost Audit. Desk research using a business

database developed by TBR for the night-time economy. An

assessment of costs and benefits using a model developed by

TBR-MAKE for the Mayor of Sydney.

5. Spatial Analysis & Performance Appraisals. Spatial and

functional appraisals of the six town centres (with a special

emphasis on Clapham) to assess current night-time economy

performance, management issues and mix of land uses (using

Experian’s GOAD mapping of retail, leisure, office uses).

2. Market Demographics. An analysis of MOSAIC

demographic and life-style data to appreciate potential demand

for types and styles of night-time economy activity in Lambeth

and its town centres.

6. Policy/Literature Review. An overview of national,

regional and 1borough policy to understand existing policies,

key issues and opportunities for the future.

3. Clapham Consumer Survey. An on-street survey of 400

visitors to the town centre pre and post 6pm, by ROI Market

Research, to understand the views of those that do and don’t

visit the centre at night.

7. Stakeholder Consultation. Telephone and face-to-face

discussions with policy-makers, practitioners and business in the

borough to understand varied perspectives on the night-time

economy, consider initiatives under way and estimate

partnership capacity.

4. Clapham Overnight Audit. An on-street survey by the

team together with council officers and local residents and

stakeholders, informed by ATCM’s Purple Flag standards and

methodologies. opportunities and scope for improvement.

8. Online Business Survey. An on-line survey of businesses in

Lambeth to understand how the night-time economy affects

them.


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2 STUDY CONTEXT

2.1 Why is nightlife so important?

SECTION 2 Study

context


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The night-time economy has been the ‘Cinderella’ of economic sectors. It

has either been ignored or misunderstood for far too long. Responsibility

for it in policy terms is split between a multiplicity of professionals and

agencies, so a coherent view is difficult to achieve.

Further, until now the data used to understand the night-time economy

has been entirely lacking or one-sided; used to highlight specific problems

rather than address the potential. Both are essential. This is because

without an understanding of the ‘benefits’ (jobs, business start ups etc) it

has become abundantly clear that there has been limited will to allocate

resources to areas such as strategy, enforcement, data collection etc.

Even those who want to see more rigorous regulation of the licensed and

night-time economies advocate, would also advocate greater resourcing.

Only when a sector of economic or public life is ‘quantified’ do authorities

take it seriously (both supporting and/or restraining it): in policy terms

“what is not seen cannot be valued”. Yet the night-time economy has

been the ‘invisible sector’ and, in short, “what gets measured gets done”.

In practical terms this has meant that most intelligence regularly used by

local authorities and others to quantify town centre performance have

contained a gap where the night-time economy should be. Despite this it

is fast becoming an integral part of town centre vitality.

New shopping centres today may contain 30-35% of floor space in food,

drink and entertainment. The night-time economy can represent 25% of

town centre turnover. But it is still seen by many as a cause of distress – a

distraction from the traditional view of what a good town centre is. The

dangers of this view are twofold: the benefits of the night-time economy

may be lost, whilst the negative impacts will continue to be experienced.

Leading licensing QC and chair of the Purple Flag Board, Philip Kolvin, sets

out a vision for the night-time economy of the future that we think

Lambeth should use as the basis for its own after dark development.

“If the measure of a society’s economic progress is found in its day-

time economy, its cultural and social progress is principally discerned in

its night time economy. For most people, this does not mean

resplendent set-piece occasions such as theatre, opera and rock

concerts (although these are certainly part of the mix), but the

enjoyment of community interaction with friends and family, lovers and

colleagues, to be acted out in the local pub, café, nightclub, restaurant

or town square. It is here where relationships are formed, friendships

consolidated, and triumphs and defeats shared.

The future cohesion of our society… depends on our town centres

offering attraction and diversity for all sectors of our society, regardless

of age, wealth, colour, ability or sexuality.“


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2.2 The national ‘after dark’ landscape

So, if it’s so important to get the ‘after dark approach’ right, both

regulatory and developmental, then what tools exist to help Lambeth?

The new Government has put an end to 10 years of liberalisation and

deregulation in alcohol licensing. The new

tide of austerity has knocked back arts and

cultural developments funded by the public

sector. Meanwhile the plight of the high

street, in the face of out-of-town

development, cut-price alcohol sales in

supermarkets, online shopping and the

growth in home leisure, was at least partly

revealed in the recent Mary Portas review of

the ‘high street’ for the PM David Cameron.

Whilst high street vacancy levels have been

averaging 13% and more, pubs have, at

times over the past few years, been closing

at the rate of 12 a day – hit by a ‘triple

whammy’ of higher taxation, rising

commodity prices, the smoking ban and

cheap alcohol in supermarkets. Nightclubs

have been even harder hit with late-night bars taking away much of their

trade. Against this negative backdrop cinema, coffee shops, restaurants

and takeaways have been something of a success story (although the

latter bring their own issues of nuisance, crime and health impacts).

The picture also varies dramatically from place to place. Locally, for

example, some of Lambeth’s town centres are very distinctive and appear

to have the capacity to buck the

trend (Waterloo-South Bank or

Clapham), while others (e.g.

Streatham and West Norwood-

Tulse Hill) are closer to the tough

national picture.

In this complex and challenging

climate it is paramount that

Lambeth uses the policy tools

available to it to their greatest

effect in order to deliver the kind of

after dark economy that is right for

each town centre and for the

borough as a whole. This study

further teases out what that ‘after

dark vision’ might be in subsequent

sections, but prior to this we set

out some of the tools that are available to achieve a more sustainable

after dark economy.

Exemplar: Waterloo’s ‘The Cut’ with its mix of theatre (such as the Young Vic), quirky shops, independent and chain restaurants occasional pub and convenience stores is the almost perfect round the clock high street. Here alcohol is ancillary to entertainment and culture, socialising, good food and useful local services. A national treasure!


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2.3 National night-time economy policy context

• National Policy Planning Framework 2012. This stripped-down

government policy document is notable for not mentioning the night-

time economy - surely an omission. The reasoning behind the NPPF is

to reduce the size of previous spatial plans (e.g. core strategies and

their subdocuments) from 100s of pages to around 30 or so, all

contained within one ‘local plan’.

This study of Lambeth’s after dark economy will be a key supporting

document and evidence base for the development of Lambeth’s Local

Plan for and also for its own Lambeth-specific ‘place plans’ (see below)

for each town centre.

• Reform of planning ‘Use Class Orders’. Dating back to April 2005

but nevertheless relevant to this study, the ‘uses classes orders’ are the

spatial system used to divide up all possible land uses in town planning

from housing to offices; nightclubs to laundrettes. The previous 1987

use class – A3 - included cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaways.

The 2005 version split this into A3 Restaurants and Cafes, A4 Drinking

Establishments and A5 Hot Food Takeaways. Nightclubs remained ‘sui

generis’ and are treated individually.

The significance for this study is the additional control this can provide

for planning new development and for deciding on an application for a

change of use. All night-time economy activities are not the same.

Success depends on the creation and management of a good mix and

too many A4 uses in short strips or ‘drinking circuits’ have in particular

have been the root cause of many night-time economy problems.

It is crucial to note that planning has the ability to be much more

prescriptive than licensing about the mix of uses, restricting some uses

relative to others (when properly evidenced). Licensing, however, must

treat each licence application on its own merits.

Exemplar: Liverpool’s ‘Ropewalks’ Night-Time Hotspot: An ‘over-density’ of alcohol-led premises (purple buildings) led to a rise in alcohol-related crime (white dots). As part of MAKE’s 2010 study, a decision to ‘get tough’ on planning permissions and limit A3 alcohol-led venues opening has helped continue a reduction in crime even with less police.


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• Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2012. This draws a

line under the ‘continental café culture’ experiment of the last

government. It puts back into local authority hands some of the

controls removed by the 2003 Licensing Act; in particular the

importance of local policy, as opposed to top-down national directives

that were linked to a light-touch or self-regulation philosophy.

• Late Night Levy. A key measure of the above legislation, this has

gone live recently. It enables licensing authorities to raise a

contribution from late-opening alcohol suppliers towards policing the

night time economy. They may levy a charge of between £299 and

£4,440 (depending on rateable value) on all late-opening licensees in a

local authority area. The levy is to pay for the costs of policing (70%)

and managing the night-time economy, (30%) by local authorities.

There are exemptions possible, including for BIDs, and 30% reductions

for relevant good practice schemes. Islington was the first London

borough to take this forward, though this has now stalled.

Our view of the Levy is that it should only be used as a last resort after

other attempts have taken place to improve public sector enforcement

and partnership as well as giving businesses (directly and through

BIDs) the chance to better self regulate where there are problems. The Late Night Levy: Better as a ‘stick’ held in reserve in order to encourage licensees in hotspots to take full responsibility for the impact of their collective premises on community wellbeing.


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• Early Morning Restriction Orders. Introduced at the same time as

the Late Night Levy, EMROs allows councils to impose a new terminal

hour for alcohol between midnight and 6am on areas where there is a

problem with alcohol-related violence. Again our view is that this

should be used as a last resort, but as we set out in the study’s

findings and the concluding ideas for action, there are areas where this

could be useful, e.g. Clapham where you have a late night (4 to 5am)

city economy in a leafy suburban high street.

• Alcohol strategy. The Government’s Alcohol Strategy 2012 continues

the work of former strategies (e.g. Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy

for England). It marks a change in policy direction based on the

conclusion that previous policies have not worked. It includes a

toughening of the policy approach on the regulation of alcohol and sits

alongside the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act.

• Health and Social Care Act 2012. Under this act local authorities,

from April 2013, will take the lead for improving health and

coordinating local efforts to protect the public’s health and wellbeing,

and ensuring health services effectively promote population health.

Alcohol misuse is one of the key concerns.

The work of the Alcohol Summit in Lambeth shows the potential for

integrated action between professionals and agencies in town centres

but this must be taken further with greater investment in brief

interventions and better alcohol-related presentations / admission data.

• Business-led and partnership vehicles. These burgeoned under

the last government and are generally considered to be effective where

widely supported and providing they have clear leadership. Often

business-led (or council supported), these initiatives include Business

Improvement Districts (BIDs), Pubwatch, Best Bar None, Community

Alcohol Projects, Behave or Be Banned etc. In most metropolitan areas

with a significant night-time economy a selection of these will be

commonplace, but not in Lambeth as yet.

Exemplar: A recent study by Leeds Metropolitan University has shown that most members of Pubwatch schemes believe the scheme has been responsible for a reduction of crime in their area.


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2.4 Lambeth night-time economy policy context

• London Plan 2011 This is an important strategic framework for this

research. The importance of arts, sports, culture and entertainment is

recognised, including the link with tourism, employment in creative

industries and as a contributor to regeneration.

Waterloo-South Bank forms part of the plan’s Central Activity Zone (the

area of Central London in which the Mayor wishes to see “a rich mix of

local as well as strategic uses … forming the globally iconic core of one

of the world’s most attractive and competitive business locations

[and]… the world’s leading visitor destination.” The South Bank’s

cultural offer is key to this.

Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea (of which Vauxhall is in Lambeth) is

designated an “opportunity area” for major expansion (see below).

Brixton and Streatham are designated ‘major’ centres (i.e. one serving

a large and well-connected catchment with a significant retail offer)

and with a category NT2 night-time economy (i.e. regional /sub

regional) for Brixton and NT3 (i.e. local significance) for Streatham.

This seems right, although Streatham will need significant structural

changes and investment to deliver a fuller offer, whereas Brixton is

more a case of avoiding overheating after dark and the potential loss of

character as branded investors start to realise its potential.

Crucially for our study, the London Plan also denotes Clapham High

Street as a category NT2 night-time economy (i.e. regional /sub

regional). The question is, is this compatible with the way the

community sees its high street role, its carrying capacity and how does

this fit with the London Plan’s overall categorisation of Clapham High

Street as a much lower hierarchy ‘district centre’?

West Norwood and Tulse Hill are cited in the London Plan as district

centres, though with no discernible night-time economy. This is about

right at present, but as we set out in the chapter on these two

locations, West Norwood in particular does have the potential to

develop a more inspiring local neighbourhood evening offer.

• Lambeth Unitary Development Plan 2007 / Core Strategy 2011

This lineage of documents will be replaced in 2013 with the new Local

Plan as required by government. And, while new analysis, consultation

and fresh thinking will be undertaken (including this study), it is likely

that much of the existing spatial strategy will make it into the Local

Plan – a case of ‘evolution not revolution’ (albeit in a shorter

document).


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The current spatial strategy seeks to protect A1 retail uses in town

centres by limiting other activities. The Lambeth Core Strategy 2011

has sections on each of the centres and summarises key projects being

pursued by the council and its partners e.g. the new Library in

Clapham. The excerpt from the emerging Local Plan considered by the

team continues the concern for the protection of A1 retail and the

control of A3/4/5. The team considers there is scope for a more

nuanced approach to each of these land uses and the types of

activities that are appropriate within them.

• Opportunity Area Planning Framework for Vauxhall, Nine Elms

& Battersea This major document was published by the Mayor of

London in March 2012. It is for 195 hectares of land on the side of the

Thames and promotes 200,000 sq. m of new development, 16,000 new

homes, and 20,000-25,000 new jobs. A new town square is proposed

for Vauxhall together with improved links to the river and mitigating

the negative impact of the traffic gyratory.

The biggest impact is likely to be the scale of new development in the

vicinity and the potential this offers for a new heart and role for

Vauxhall town centre. The team’s view is set out in the Vauxhall

section of this study, but in short it is an excellent technical document

that appears eminently deliverable but needs considerable work in

turning from a technical plan into one which creates a ‘real’ place,

ensuring Vauxhall becomes a vibrant town centre with a mixed

community of users, rather than simply a soulless investment location.

Vauxhall, Nine Elms & Battersea: Central London’s largest remaining development site. The Mayor’s Opportunity Framework is a technically fitting basis for change. But Lambeth and partners must work hard to give its realisation a distinctive, exciting and animated street level feel with a real sense of community, particularly after dark. Only by doing so will it avoid the fate of other bland developments such as Canary Wharf, Central St Giles, Southwark Blue Fin or even More London.


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• ‘Place plans’, masterplans and supplementary planning

documents There are numerous plans that have been or are being

prepared for most of the six town centres. However, the economic

context has changed significantly since many of these were produced.

The team feels that there is now a need to consider local economic

growth more thoroughly alongside physical development, including a

clearer role for the night-time economy. This can be done through the

borough’s new ‘place plan’ process where each town will have its own

locally led plan that sits underneath the new borough-wide Local Plan.

Our research ideas for a more sustainable night-time economy, as set

out in this study, should be fully considered by each ‘place plan’ team.

• Alcohol Consumption in the Night-time Economy This excellent

study was published by the Greater London Assembly (GLA) mid-way

through our study and provides an excellent context. It is more

narrowly-focused, being concerned solely with alcohol consumption,

related harms, associated costs and measures to deal with these. In an

appendix on methodology the authors make estimates of both benefits

and costs. Whilst acknowledging probable gaps in their methodology

they set out figures for London as a whole and for each of the

boroughs within it. Overall for London they estimate the benefits to be

£1.6bn - £1.9bn and the costs to be £214m - £285m. They estimate

the net benefit for each borough. For Lambeth this figure is estimated

to be between £41m and £53m. This is substantially lower than our

calculation and we explain why this is subsequently.

The GLA’s recent advisory paper on the night-time economy. While it reinforces existing norms that the night-time economy is a ‘problem’, it does show how to measure the benefits as well as costs and offers great examples of best practice. It also clearly shows that most London areas are doing nothing like enough to understand and manage their after dark experience. Lambeth, on taking forward our study, will put itself at the forefront of London councils serious about their NTE.


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In the main document the authors suggest sources of data for the

creation of a soundly based night time economy strategy. All of these,

and others, have been addressed in our own work programme. They

also set out five main ways of managing the night-time economy in

order to reduce alcohol-related harms. These are pricing, licensing,

premises design and operation, public realm design, service

interventions and community mobilisation.

Helpful examples and illustrations are given for each one. Some of

these are addressed in current Lambeth BC policy, but most are not or

are at an early stage in development, so we outline how and where

Lambeth may wish to implement these as part of the ‘ideas for action’

section at the end of this study.

• Night-Time Community Safety Action Plans The Safer Lambeth

Partnership has highlighted three night time economies with specific

crime concerns - Clapham, Brixton and Vauxhall. For each area a

targeted multi-agency action plan was developed that sets out specific

partnership actions to reduce crime and disorder in the night-time

economy and reduce the impact on residents. These focus on

prevention, pro-active use of licensing powers, a focus on

environmental issues and promoting safer, responsible socialising in co-

operation with businesses. A focus on development of new, safer night

time economies in other areas of the borough has been highlighted as

an issue that needs greater focus and involvement from agencies

tackling crime and disorder as part of a preventative approach to

reducing crime. These plans should be reviewed in light of our study.

• Lambeth Statement of Licensing Policy 2011-14, This sets out

licensing policy for the borough, but work is already under way on the

next generation of policies – to reflect new Government policies on the

regulation of alcohol. The current policy is more developed and

detailed than the previous version, prompted by the need to avoid

noise and nuisance impacts on neighbours. Information required by

Lambeth from each premises in its operating schedule is now quite

detailed.

There is a specific Later Hours Policy with separate requirements up to

midnight and after midnight. Impacts to be considered include type of

venue, hours, access, parking, cumulative effect, frequency of use etc.

There is a special scrutiny of applications in Brixton and Clapham. This

includes evaluation of pavement dining/drinking, cumulative impact

(saturation) (under which a ‘special policy’ was brought in during 2011

for Clapham High Street). A strong link is made to the planning control

regime in Section 19 and some joined up operations have now taken

place between these two departments.


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Following our research, which is outlined in the subsequent sections,

our view is that while improved, there is room to go further in both the

tone and tenor of the new policy, using more robust language. Indeed,

we also believe the council should introduce ‘off-licence only’

cumulative impact areas in the north of the borough. ‘Takeaway only’

type cumulative impact polices should also be considered in Brixton,

Streatham and West Norwood-Tulse Hill.

• Lambeth Local Economic Assessment 2011 This document sets

out drivers of change that include population growth and key clusters

in the north of the borough comprising business information,

management & support, information & communications technology,

architecture & technical, media & creative, events and tourism.

The extension of the East London Line from Surrey Quays to Clapham

Junction is listed, as are the two London Plan Opportunity Areas and

the Future Lambeth programme. Growth sectors identified are business

services, retail, hotels and restaurants, health, education etc. The

SWOT analysis picks out town centres as leaders of growth.

As the subsequent findings demonstrate, we agree with this town

centre focus, but much more work needs to be done to shape the right

vision and for each town centre and identify the capacity and delivery

mechanisms to make this a reality (i.e. via ‘place plans’ noted above).

A ‘sustainable’ (i.e. not alcohol-led) after dark economy that is tailored

to each location will be key to success in an era where high street

shopping is under pressure.

• Business Improvement Districts (right). At the time of the study

two BIDs already existed in Waterloo and Vauxhall. Feasibility work is

underway in Clapham and Brixton and at the time of writing Streatham

had just voted yes to its own BID, which will start work later in 2013.

These must be key partners in the both the place plan process and in

developing rounded town centres where the after dark experience is

much more fully considered than it has been traditionally by BIDs.


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Summary • Until recently the night-time economy has not been fully appreciated

“in the round” – its potential as well as its problems. This report gives a balanced picture of the sector in Lambeth.

• The data needed to help policy-makers manage the night time economy has in the past been patchy and one-sided. This report makes use of recently-developed economic data to fill in the gaps.

• Town centres are currently suffering badly from the recession, changing consumer preferences and obsolescence. The night time economy has been hit too, but there are areas of resilience e.g. the restaurant sector. These areas can be opportunities for Lambeth.

• The trend towards liberalisation and deregulation of alcohol has been reversed by the current Government and a new menu of measures and controls is available for Lambeth Borough Council to consider. This enhances the Council's role in creating an acceptable nightlife for all.


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3 AFTER DARK BENEFITS & COSTS

SECTION 3 After dark costs & benefits


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3.1 “If you can’t measure, you can’t manage…”

The concept of the night time economy is relatively recent. Measuring the

night-time economy is even more recent. TBR and MAKE have jointly

pioneered the approach, which we call NightMix, which forms the basis

of this study. For Lambeth the topic is particularly important. The Borough

has one of the highest-profile night-time economies in London. It also

experiences high levels of alcohol-related crime and health harms. It is

therefore crucial for the Borough to understand the sector better.

The approach used in this study is more comprehensive than any other

yet undertaken. Most researchers just look at the turnover of pubs, bars,

restaurants and nightclubs and compare this with the cost of police and

healthcare. We go beyond this to include non-leisure businesses that

operate after dark and cultural facilities open in the evening. On the cost

side we include resources dedicated to the night-time economy by the

Council.

There are however some caveats:

• Certain activities can be both a cost and a benefit. An example is

parking. The council receives parking revenues (and fines), yet it costs

money to operate and maintain car parks and enforce parking

regulations. Wherever possible we have sought to address this

potential problem.

• There are costs beyond the scope of this study, such as lost

productivity from alcohol-related illnesses that might be exacerbated by

an alcohol-dominated town centre. Similarly we have not attempted to

measure the contribution of the night-time economy to sleep loss and

distress suffered by residents in particularly active or “overheated”

centres.

• Inevitably, as research is still in its infancy, there remain further areas

of potential study; such as the extent to which the night-time economy

may contribute to personal wellbeing, enjoyment and conviviality and

how a well-balanced evening and night time economy can make a

place more desirable to live in.

3.1.1 NightMix: How are benefits calculated?

Night-time economy activities benefit the wider economy and community

in terms of employment and wealth creation. In our NightMix model TBR

and MAKE have grouped these into two categories: ‘Core’ and ‘Non-Core’.

3.1.2 The ‘core’ night-time economy

This comprises drinks, food and entertainment business categories. These

are businesses that earn the majority of their income from trading in the

evening and at night:

• Drinks. Drink activities are those operations where alcohol or ’wet’

sales are the most important part of a firm’s revenue and the majority


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of sales are consumed on the premises. This category includes bars,

pubs, nightclubs and social clubs.

• Food encompasses a wide range of establishments where food is

either consumed on or off the premises: fine dining to quick service

restaurants, cafes (including coffee retailers) to café-bars (if the

majority of sales are food rather than alcohol).

• Entertainment includes cinema, theatre, opera, dance, comedy, sex

encounter and circuses, as well as the full range of live music from

classical to folk; jazz to pop and rock. This category also includes

sporting and leisure venues. Traditionally these have not been thought

of as part of the night-time economy, but even a cursory assessment

reveals that gyms, spas and fitness clubs, swimming pools and sports

stadia (whether international or local clubs) play an important part in

the post-6pm city. Entertainment also includes casinos, bingo and

other gaming based leisure.

3.1.3 The non-core night-time economy

Non-Core describes those activities that form part of the supportive supply

chain of the night-time economy in varying degrees. This includes

transport, accommodation, related retail services, business and advisory

services and the public services that deliver regulation and control, waste

management, street lighting and medical support:

• Accommodation Encompasses hotels, guesthouses, bed & breakfast

and self-catered apartments.

• Transport includes taxis (hackney and private hire), commercial car

parking, private bus companies and underground rail / light transit are

some of those transit infrastructure systems that that are critical to the

effective running of cities after dark.

• Retail Post-6pm retailing is increasingly the ‘holy grail’ of town and

city centre managers. This is because in many western cities, even

large ones, the retail offer ceases by 6pm and there is often a soulless

gap while the city waits for its evening users to arrive (if indeed they

do!). There are some exceptions to this such as convenience stores

and ‘small format’ supermarkets that provide for top up shopping and

which almost always all sell alcohol.1

• Support services are also included here including street cleansing,

town centre management and events support. With ‘non-core’ activity

there is no attempt to apply a post-6pm percentage to these

organisations’ turnover so the figures knowingly overestimate the non-

core contribution to the night-time economy (and the reason why ‘core’

benefits are principally referenced throughout the study). However, the

reason for measuring the ‘non-core’ is to demonstrate the wide range

of sectors supplying the night-time economy and which are reliant, at

least in part, and often critically, on its success.

1 In Lambeth there are issues linked to the street drinking population consuming high-strength alcohol from some off-licences which is believe to exacerbate issues around aggressive begging, street fouling and public harassment. This explored in more detail in the Waterloo-Southbank chapter.


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• To this end, the night-time economy is an industry like car

manufacturing, house building or retail: a ‘b2c’ (business to consumer)

sector at the end of the economic chain. It is also crucial to note that

the night-time economy in London is also an important export industry,

something that is frequently overlooked. This will be particularly true of

the South Bank where a considerable amount of the money spent is

from overseas visitors.

3.1.4 The TCR database

The analysis of benefits in this study is based on TBR’s TCR

Database. This is a longitudinal data series covering the years 1981

to the present date. This is as close as it is possible to get to the

equivalent of a ‘UK business census’ since it is based on annually

updated information about the performance of UK firms drawn from

publicly available data and covering circa 2.5 million of the 4.9

million businesses said to make up the UK firm base (BIS 2009). It

allows economic measurement down to six-digit postcode level with

real accuracy. This database is unique in the UK.

3.1.5 How are costs calculated?

Night-time economy cost measurement is much less developed

than benefits modelling, but there are sophisticated national data

sets and studies around the costs of crime and alcohol-related NHS

costs which are adaptable. Where local intelligence is used, it is

also almost entirely reliant on how well data is captured and how

forthcoming locations are in releasing that data. In Lambeth, those

data gatekeepers are proactive and supportive but the quality and

depth of cost data is a mixed picture.

The following are the main areas of costs involved in supporting the

night-time economy.

• Police Staff salaries (including overtime, tax and NI and pension) are

perhaps the most visible costs in managing the night-time economy.

They can be divided into the ‘reactive’ (the borough’s dedicated night-

time patrol team, operating the police stations and custody suites at

night) and ‘preventative and planning’ e.g. the cost of the borough’s

licensing sergeant and a portion of other officers’ time (e.g. chief

inspector, borough commander) attending meetings, briefings and

planning operations for the night time economy.

• In addition to frontline staff costs there are also substantial capital,

revenue and back office personnel costs required to make policing after

dark feasible, such as a share of the vehicles, buildings and IT systems,

training and equipment budgets. To address this an apportionment of

the Metropolitan Police Service’s overall (non staff) budget is derived to

reflect the borough’s take on resources between 6pm and 6am.

• Justice system costs are often overlooked. Once individuals who have

been charged by the police for an offence in the night-time economy,

whether cautioned, bailed or remanded, a trail through the justice


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system is set in motion. Whether an individual is subsequently found

guilty or not, there are costs to the taxpayer, not just covering police

evidence-giving and witness time, but court costs, lawyers (including

legal aid), administration and then probation as well as correctional

costs if a custodial or restorative sentence is the outcome. In reality,

very little of this will be offset, even if a substantial fine or damages

are awarded.

• For this study, some outline attributions of the likely costs of those

arrested in Lambeth’s night-time economy are made. This is done by

taking national ‘costs per crime’ figures and factoring this by estimated

levels of these crimes in Lambeth’s night-time economy.

• Health is one of the most challenging areas of night-time economy

measurement because of the historical lack of data and modelling,

particularly in the UK around hospital presentations and admissions.

• The admission of patients who have consumed too much alcohol and /

or drugs, particularly while visiting licensed premises (or consuming

alcohol from off licences) in the evening and at night, remains one of

the most directly attributable routes into the health service from the

night-time economy.

• The second main route into the health service is by becoming a victim

of crime at the hands of somebody who has consumed alcohol and / or

drugs within a night-time economy setting.

• There is a whole range of contingencies that it is not possible within

this study to examine fully (e.g. post A&E care, primary care, the night-

time economy’s role in chronic wholly alcohol-attributable illnesses such

as cirrhosis) and these should be further researched at the borough

level. Therefore, the study takes health observatory estimates of

hospitals admissions between 6pm and 6am in the borough where

alcohol is a factor and apportions costs uses updated modelling

published nationally by the Department of Health and the recently

released study into London’s night-time economy costs and benefits by

the Greater London Authority (GLA).2

• Council The final cost-set is that borne by the council. Most obviously

this includes licensing and enforcement around night-time economy

premises, planning and development control services linked to ‘core’

night-time economy applications. But it also includes environmental

health (for food and noise), economic development, town centre

management and night-time economy staff.

• Other areas where the night-time economy draws on council resources

includes cleansing and street scene, CCTV and systems and staff,

events and festivities, as well as opening and maintaining community

facilities such as libraries after 6pm, albeit it for a minority of their

overall operating hours. Parking is shown although the income and

expenditure on this is limited as the council has only three car parks

and only one of these opens until 10pm.

2 Wickham M / GLA (2012) Alcohol Consumption in the Night-Time Economy


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Many council costs would exist even without the night-time economy e.g. CCTV would still be required during the day in locations like Brixton and Clapham. Christmas lights can be attributed to the evening economy, as they seek to encourage later shopping. And library opening (like Clapham’s new facilities) after 5:30pm is a cost, but one that benefits both residents and the overall feel of any town centre. Street cleansing is one cost that can be disaggregated, as much of the detritus picked up in the first pass of the day is the result of the presence of a late night economy. Indeed, many locations are now introducing later night cleansing services to enhance the user experience.


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3.2 The economics of Lambeth ’s after dark

3.2.1 Night-time economy benefits

The following figure shows the breakdown of Lambeth’s ‘core’ night-time

economy between each subsector.

Figure 1. Lambeth’s night-time economy firms

2001 2009 2011

Drink 216 286 235

Entertainment 45 35 27

Food 636 841 727

Core NTE 897 1,162 990

Total all types firm 12,525 13,407 10,961

Lambeth’s ‘core’ night-time economy accounted for 9% of all

Lambeth firms in 2011. This is a 10% rise on 2001 and is well above

the national or even London average.

The following table shows similar information, but for number of night-

time economy jobs.

Figure 2. Jobs in Lambeth’s night-time economy

Night-time economy Sector 2001 2009 2011

Drink 1,548 1,920 1,799

Entertainment 1,255 1,239 1,162

Food 4,792 5,079 5,057

Lambeth Core NTE employees 7,595 8,238 8019

Total Lambeth employees 112,523 120,327 113,626

Lambeth’s core night-time economy represents about 7% of the borough’s

employment total (the UK average is 4%).

The number of employees has risen between 2001 and 2011, though not

as much as the number of night-time economy firms. It’s worth noting

that both firms and employment have fallen back since a 2009 high when

the UK economy entered recession.

Key Fact… 4.500 of Lambeth’ s residents work in the borough’s own night-time economy.

This is almost certainly one of the highest actual and relative numbers in the UK.


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Overall the night-time economy has performed better in Lambeth

than the borough’s economy as a whole, and as a sector that should

be considered important in the future economic development of the

borough. Without the night-time economy the contraction in Lambeth’s

economy during the recession would have been greater. The figure below

shows the sales of Lambeth’s core night-time economy firms.

Figure 3. Lambeth’s night-time economy sales

NTE Sector 2001 2009 2011

Drink £86.2m £140.6m £138.0m

Entertainment £93.9m £108.7m £107.4m

Food £199.7m £239.8m £259.5m

Total Lambeth Core NTE £379.8m £489.1m £504.9m

Lambeth’s night-time economy turned over half a billion pounds

in 2011 (this excludes any ‘multiplier’ impact on suppliers). Despite the

recession, Lambeth’s night-time economy sales have also continued to

grow over the past two years. This makes it rare amongst Lambeth’s own

sectors, and even rarer amongst UK night time economies which (outside

London) have nearly all shrunk since 2009.

Counter to many perceptions, Lambeth’s night-time economy is

dominated by food-led businesses. However, while both food and

alcohol–led sales have both increased in the borough over the past

decade, it is drink firms that have seen the most substantial increase. This

is counter to the national trend of a decline in alcohol sales (e.g. with the

closure of community pubs) and a growth in restaurants.

Entertainment (cinemas to bingo, gyms to theatre) showed some

growth in the last decade but remained static since the recession.

It is important to note that it’s not just turnover of the industry but also

GVA – or gross value added - that has grown in the borough after dark

economy. GVA is the government’s priority measure of economic

efficiency – what value is being added to raw materials and employment

costs by a firm, and so how much real value is it bringing to ‘UK plc.’

Traditionally the hospitality sector is a relatively low GVA sector, and while

this remains the case (compared to say financial services,

pharmaceuticals), it provides a range of opportunities for employment and

entrepreneurship. It is particularly important in a time of recession when

young people (the core employment stream of hospitality and the night-

time economy) are suffering most from unemployment.

Over 2001 to 2011 the Lambeth night-time economy has

delivered increased GVA to a level of 40%. The rest of the

economy has increased GVA by 4%.

Therefore it is promising that Lambeth’s GVA in the night-time economy

segments of drink and food has risen by 60% and 38% respectively. This

shows that it is not only a large employer, but also a sustainer of many

firms and a crucial part of the South Bank and town centres such Brixton.

It is also outperforming most other industries in the borough.


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However, there are legitimate concerns about the rise of such an

efficient and growth-oriented drinks subsector, at the expense of

health and community concerns. This is addressed in more detail in

the Clapham section, where data shows the alcohol-led night-time

economy has grown even faster than the borough as a whole and that it is

this Clapham growth that is driving the change in the borough figures.

Finally, it is worth comparing against two similar boroughs, neighbours

Southwark and Wandsworth. Both of these are relatively central, have

northern frontages onto the Thames and stretch southwards into a

residential hinterland.

Figure 4. Gross Value Added for three similar London boroughs

Borough 2001 2009 2011

Lambeth £129.1m £165.1m £179.0m

Southwark £114.8m £126.5m £147.1m

Wandsworth £100.7m £131.0m £126.2m

London £3,787m £4,511m £4,580m

All three follow a similar pattern, however, Lambeth has shown much

better efficiency gains than the other two boroughs, with a 40% increase

in night-time economy GVA (from a £129m in 2001 to £179m in 2011).

Later in the report each of Lambeth’s identified NT Economy

centres has its own economic data featured and analysed.

Clapham has a large number of very large and efficient ‘high volume vertical drinking premises’. They have high turnovers and are highly profitable, but at what costs to health, crime and nuisance?


37

3.2.2 Night-time economy costs

Below are the four areas of night-time economy expenditure addressed by

this study: police, justice, health and council.

3.2.3 Police costs

Figure 5. Lambeth NTE ‘frontline’ policing costs

Costs 2011

Staffing - preventative & planning £245,000

Staffing - reactive £305,000

Total £550,000

Overall, the cost of the ‘frontline’ officers dedicated to both planning and

policing the borough’s night-time economy is relatively small at just over

half a million pounds annually. This is because the borough has just one

dedicated night-time economy patrol on a Friday and Saturday nights. In

one sense, given the size of the borough’s night-time economy, this is a

relatively small number of officers and the study makes recommendations

elsewhere (e.g. in the Clapham chapter) as to the number, visibility and

early intervention tactics of officers policing the borough’s night-time

economy.

However, these are only local ‘frontline’ staff costs; there is no share of

other force-wide costs such buildings, vehicles, managerial and admin

staff etc. that the centralised Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) provides to

all London’s boroughs.

By apportioning the overall costs of the MPS by borough and factoring this

by relative borough levels of crime (as a proxy for resource distribution

(i.e. Richmond upon Thames does not require the same level as

Westminster or Lambeth) and then multiplying the total by the fraction of

crime that can be reasonably linked to Lambeth’s night-time economy, we

get the following costs.


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Figure 6. Lambeth night-time economy operational costs

The night-time economy ‘support costs’ figure of around £30m of the

borough’s £100m take on the MPS’s £3.6bn expenditure comes with a

large number of caveats.

Most obviously, the actual cost of dedicated night-time economy officer

time (£550k) in Lambeth is clearly a small fraction of the borough

proportion of £16.5m that is derived above for all officer salaries. Why

does this gap exist? There are a number of reasons, but the main one is

that staff from a huge number of centralised MPS functions support the

night-time economy, but they operate during the day. For example, senior

management from the Chief Commissioner downwards, CID and

investigative staff (forensics etc.), analysts who will be involved in the

follow up after a crime or in prevention operations.

So why show these figures if they are not directly attributable to the night-

time economy? Because although most of these base level operating costs

(e.g. salaries, revenue and capital costs) would be required even if the

borough (or London) did not have a night-time economy,3 there is no

doubt that by creating a more sustainable night-time economy, the

borough’s ‘take’ on these centralised resources would be less and (if

repeated across London, the overall costs for after dark poling by the MPS

could be reduced substantially.

This would reduce the overall budget of the MPS and / or allow it to invest

in other priority areas. Ironically, the cost of officers policing the night-

time economy is small; it is the ‘hidden’ subsequent costs of crimes

committed in the night-time economy where a reduction in incidents

would have the greatest financial impact.

3 I.e. to deal with retail theft, fraud, street drinkers, domestic abuse, serious organised crime, counter-terror and so on.

Expenditure area MPS Costs (£) Lambeth

share (£)

Lambeth

NTE (£)

Officer salaries 1,963,791,000 61,368,469 16,569,487

Staff salaries 799,567,000 24,986,469 6,746,347

Total staff costs 2,763,358,000 86,354,938 23,315,833

Employee expenditure 36,036,000 1,126,125 304,054

Premises 216,460,000 6,764,375 1,826,381

Transport 66,070,000 2,064,688 557,466

Supplies & services 399,377,000 12,480,531 3,369,743

Financing costs 42,241,000 1,320,031 356,408

Other pension costs 34,288,000 1,071,500 289,305

Total operational costs 794,472,000 24,827,250 6,703,358

Total police costs 3,557,830,000 111,182,188 30,019,191


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3.2.4 Justice costs

For the purposes here, ‘justice’ costs are taken from the Home Office’s

research into the cost per crime and updated for inflation to 2011. The

costs were then multiplied only against ‘night-time economy ‘linked’ crime

types for 2011. The factoring we have used is specific to Lambeth’s night-

time economy (i.e. in and around the borough’s NTE hubs from 6pm to

6am rather than across the borough as a whole and throughout the day).

For example, Lambeth’s night-time economy has a strong association with

sexual violence, but clearly not all rape and other sexual offences take

place in the night-time economy and the factoring takes this into account.

Figure 7. ‘Worst case scenario’ night-time economy costs

Overall the figure for night-time economy related justice costs appear high

at around £62m for 2011. If we remove the ‘victim impact’ and look purely

at the cost of services and lost productivity as the result of incidents in the

borough’s night-time economy, the figure is £18.5m for 2011.

The justice costs (not withstanding personal or social costs) of the

borough’s night-time economy are dominated by serious violence against

the person (80% of the total). While there are night-time economy crime

types with more incidents (e.g. theft), the cost of dealing with violence is

hugely disproportionate.

It is worth noting here that unlike our benefits figures, for which we have

a very robust methodology, we do not use

these factored ‘negative externalities’ in our

headline estimates of the cost of the

borough’s night time economy. This is

because at present there are too many

caveats for them to be overwhelmingly

reliable. We know that the figures are likely

to be in this range, but our recommendations

is that the borough and its health partners, in

partnership with an academic institution,

undertakes a further piece of work to drill

down into these initial costings to provide

figures that have a ‘gold standard’ solidity.


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Counting the ‘after dark cost’. Robbery, criminal damage and assault are the most frequent crimes in Lambeth’s night-time economy, but it is the latter that creates the greatest cost and personal impact.

Lambeth and the Met are right to concentrate on reducing alcohol violence as the top ‘after dark’ priority.

Initiatives such as investment in a night time economy crime reduction manager is a great place to start, particularly given Lambeth has not been as close to the night-time economy management cutting edge as other large city locations such as Liverpool, Nottingham or Birmingham.


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3.2.5 Health costs

The health costs presented here exclude a large number of ‘hidden’ costs

which, due to the limitations of the study cannot be pursued. For example,

unlike the police costs, it is not feasible to apportion a share of the

operating costs of those hospitals that serve the borough’s night-time

economy. Like the police, this would almost certainly raise the ‘real’ health

costs of the night-time economy many times over.

The best fit here is to take the number of alcohol-related hospital

admissions in the borough and apply the most established percentages for

the likely amount of these that have taken place in the night-time

economy. We can be certain that these are therefore considerable

underestimates but are defensible.

These are then multiplied by Department of Health figures for the typical

cost per incident. It does not include potentially huge costs for

reconstructive surgery, subsequent GP visits, nor as noted in the

introduction, any associated costs with alcohol or drug related illnesses.

After dark specialist health services. The NHS organisations that serve Lambeth (Guys & St Thomas, NHS South East London and Kings College Hospital) have variously invested in night-time economy related interventions such as alcohol recording (following the Cardiff model), brief intervention treatments and alcohol specialist nurses at A&E.

This shows forward thinking at a time when some locations are cutting back. The challenge is to maintain and enhance these services and, crucially, to more accurately and consistently collect and use that data to better target problem locations and night-time premises.


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Figure 8. Lambeth night-time economy ‘critical’ health costs

Overall, the costs of critical night-time economy care (simply getting

people to hospital, admitting them if serious enough and then the cost of

keeping them in the hospital until they are discharged) were at least £1m

in 2011. This is relatively evenly split between the three areas.

Theoretically, by reducing the number of paramedic call outs by a third

could fund three nurses to provide brief interventions at hospitals in the

borough that would have a proven effect on further reducing alcohol-

related admissions and health harms. When put in these terms, it provides

a stark incentive to shift the borough’s night-time economy away from one

dominated by alcohol consumption, towards one that is more balanced.

3.2.6 Council costs

Council costs for Lambeth’s night-time economy are shown below and

given a ‘night-time economy factor’. They do not include an overall share

of back office, capital costs etc. but they do account for income which

offsets the total costs (e.g. licensing fees).

Figure 9. Lambeth night-time economy ‘critical’ health costs Council function Expenditure

(- income) 2010/11 (£000s)

NTE factor

Total NTE cost (£000s)

Licensing £125 90% £113

Trading standards / environmental health £900 30% £270

Planning, regeneration and enterprise £3,544 20% £709

Street cleansing £3,450 33% £1,139 Libraries £4,487 5% £224

Christmas lights £105 100% £105

CCTV £100 50% £50

Community Safety NTE budget £148

Total £2.757m

£2.6m of a £300m+ budget is relatively low. For example, City of Sydney

Council (i.e. Greater Sydney’s equivalent to Westminster) spends

(Aus)$1m alone each year on its New Year’s Eve fireworks display.

While currently any additional call on council finances is limited, the

amount dedicated to proactively develop the borough’s night-time

economy (town centre management, night-time economy manager and

studies such as this) appear to be disproportionately small given the

relative importance of the night-time economy to the borough as outlined

in the benefits section earlier. There is clearly room here for carefully

considered additional expenditure or reallocation of resources given the

economic story emerging from this study.

Health cost Incidents 2010/11

NTE factor

NTE incidents

Cost unit

Total NTE cost

Alc-paramedic callouts 2258 60% 1,355 £349 £472,825

Alc-related A&E presentations

4794 60% 2,876 £105 £302,022

Alc-related inpatient stays

1684 15% 253 £1,400 £353,640

Total £1,128,487


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3.3 TBR-MAKE NightMix vs . GLA models

The Greater London Assembly undertook a costs and benefit study of

London’s night-time economy (specifically around alcohol-led night time

economy) in 2012 as part of wider work by its health improvement board.

Whilst it is interesting to compare GLA vs. NightMix, these two approaches

to cost benefit calculation use very different factor definition for the

modelling. Both are valid methods of measuring different facets the night-

time economy, but below we set out why they differ.

3.3.1 Benefits 1. On the benefits side of the comparison, the GLA model is based upon a

calculation of Gross Value Added (GVA) rather than sales revenue.

In studying this calculation basis GVA at the London level we see that the

GLA model produces aggregate GVA, which is only 38% of the TBR-MAKE

NightMix calculation.

Other than mathematical error the only reason for such a difference is that

the business activity base in the GLA Model is more restricted. There are

different approaches to GVA calculation but they would not produce such

a large difference.

2. The TBR-MAKE NightMix model uses total annual sales revenues earned

by our definition of ‘’core’ night-time economy businesses which is

exclusively focussed on post 6pm. service providers.

The TBR-MAKE NightMix model excludes accommodation provision, which

is in the GLA Model.

3. This difference in statistics should cause an increase of at least c2.6

times in the GLA benefit figure if total revenue is used as the factor basis.

This is based upon the calculation that average GVA across all businesses

in the TBR-MAKE NightMix model is 29.9%.

4. Source data for the two models should deliver similar broad quantums

although the TBR-MAKE NightMix model is likely to be more accurate in its

detail.

This is because the GLA model relies heavily on data from the

government’s own Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES).

Although BRES is reasonably accurate, and tracks quite closely at overall

UK levels to our own TCR database (on which NightMix is based), BRES is

based on a relatively small UK sample (around 40 times smaller than the

3m businesses in TCR). Therefore at the local level it can never hope to be

as accurate as TCR.

5. However, in practice this difference in approach generates a different

top-level picture in the models but the reality is not that different. The

differences are in what is selected to be measured.

The TBR-MAKE NightMix model reflects all costs of business operation,

which account for the related income of suppliers to the NTE core firms,

since sales revenue covers costs plus GVA.

NB. In a few statistically unimportant cases at this level this would not be

true to the extent that all the businesses made after tax losses but this

would be an extreme and unlikely scenario.


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Without the ‘core’ night-time firms as defined in the TBR-MAKE NightMix

model this income from purchases and related jobs would not exist.

6. The second key difference on the benefits side is the definition of what

constitutes a ‘core’ night-time business.

The TBR-MAKE NightMix model has a justified focus that excludes all

activities that do not fall within the standard industrial classification (SIC)

for sub sector definitions covering entertainment, drinks and food

businesses.

The GLA model includes what TBR-MAKE would call ‘Non-Core’ NTE

activities that are dependent or related, such as accommodation.

7. The GLA model also factors in what it calls ‘consumer surplus’, which

increases the size of the benefit side of the equation in its model.

This is a relevant concept in considering the ‘social value’ of the NTE but

we do not feel we can include it as a measurement factor in our economic

analysis.

As the GLA model states 'it measures the pleasure that people get when

they drink alcohol - from the associated socialising with friends and

family'.

The 'pleasure factor' serves to underline the underlying difference in the

purpose of the two models.

The TBR-MAKE NightMix model focuses on the differences in economic

costs and benefit that are generated by these activities. The GLA Model is

driven by concerns with the alcohol context.

NB. We do not overlook in this brief review that most of the benefits from

taxation are not included in the GLA Model (e.g. business rates; taxes;

corporation tax; personal taxation)

For purposes of comparison we have excluded any tax-derived benefits in

the TBR-MAKE NightMix model, although these are considerable and we

have applied theme elsewhere in our work, e.g. Sydney.

3.3.2 Costs The broad approach that is taken by the two models is again similar.

1. The GLA model is concerned with the impact of alcohol related

activities whilst the TBRMAKE NightMix model is concerned with NTE

economic measurement.

2. Accurately identifying and measuring costs remains a major challenge

across the costs subject. One would be forgiven for believing that research

and data are readily available. They are not.

3. Both GLA and TBR-MAKE identify the same key factors such as crime,

hospitalisation, justice and other public service factors.

There are a number of other related factors such as days lost at work but

from an economic analysis point of view it is doubtful that such factors

should be considered.

4. However, the plain fact is that because of a paucity of data (both local

and national) many of these costs cannot be calculated and therefore any

view of their explicit relationship to the NTE economy is difficult to agree.


45

5. In studying the GLA Model one reads many caveats about the ability to

measure accurately, together with repeated statements of 'not valued' e.g.

lost economic output; chronic alcohol illness; impact on family and

relationships; sale to underage; transport related costs; negative or

positive tourism costs.

6. The TBR-MAKE NightMix model specifically covers the elements of

crime, health, justice and public services and these are aligned with the

GLA model where possible.

As with the GLA model there are many caveats in the TBR-MAKE figures

since they are difficult to estimate without positive stakeholder help at

very local levels.

If we simply apply the GLA Benefit:Cost Ratio (BCR) to these figures then

the Lambeth ratio works out at 5.4 : 1 in this example.

The GLA model suggests the BCR for Lambeth ranges from 6 - 9.2 : 1.

3.3.3 Conclusion

Clearly there are considerable differences between these models. We

would argue that the GLA model substantially underestimates the

economic benefit of the NTE.

However one must remember the purpose of the GLA study, which is

entitled 'Alcohol consumption in the Night Time Economy', is different to

the purpose of the TBRMAKE model, which is to assess economic impact

without drawing any conclusions about the cross agenda issues of

business development and business regulation.


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Summary

Summary Lambeth’s night-time economy:

• Is worth £500m and provides 8,000 jobs (more than half for locals).

• Is a critical part of (and has performed better than) Lambeth’s wider economy.

• Is food not alcohol dominated despite a strong drinks sector.

• May have over expanded in certain geographical areas in the alcohol-led subsector.

• Presents a major opportunity to create more jobs and support the borough’s economic strategy, if carefully managed.

But…is…

• Costing the borough considerably, particularly in terms of ‘hidden’ police and justice costs (though it has limited demand on ‘frontline’ police costs).

• Particularly suffering from the high cost of (mostly alcohol-related) violent crime.

• Probably under-supported (in terms of proactive development) by the council and partners.


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4 THE SIX TOWN CENTRES 4.1

SECTION 4 The six town centres


48

Clapham: ‘Night-time explosion’

SECTION 4 The six town centres: Clapham


49

4.1 Clapham: Night Time Explosion

Clapham is one of the capital’s most desirable suburbs. Halfway between

Lambeth’s northern Thames boundary and Streatham in the south,

Clapham has a population of around 50,000 in a range of neighbourhoods

focused mainly around the 220-acre prime public greenspace of Clapham

Common, Clapham Old Town and Clapham High Street.

This chapter looks at the evolution of Clapham from rural idyll to

aspirational suburb and its current incarnation, which embodies both of

these, but with the added challenge of now hosting one of South London’s

largest night-time economies.

4.1.1 Clapham then…

Clapham has been a settlement in its own right since Anglo Saxon times,

its high street a rare kink (to avoid a stream) in an otherwise straight

Roman road from London to Chichester.

For many centuries it housed only a hundred or so residents before the

plague forced out central London residents and it further expanded to be

a wealthy Surrey village in the 17th and 18th Century only to be subsumed

into London in 1889.

Clapham, above, for 200 years a leafy suburb based around its famous common, and today, below, with its city-size night-time economy operating till 5am.


50

It has long had an attraction the wealthy and notable. Samuel Pepys, Sir

Charles Barry and Edvard Grieg all made their home either on the common

or in its Old Town. There were strong associations with radical thinkers, in

particular around the abolition of slavery with resident William Wilberforce

leading a Christian march from the Common against oppression,

something that seems quite at odds with today’s hedonistic hub.

The railways arrived in the middle half of the 19th century and made

commuting from more distant towns in Surrey and Sussex into London

possible and so while the wealthier moved further out and it became a

quiet suburb for the middle classes studded with grand mansions dotted

between famous ‘estates’ such as Thomas Cubbit’s Clapham Park, one of

South London’s most attractive family locations then, and now. In the 20th

century the area became increasingly mixed, with more social housing

being built and today there remains a mix, not simply the wealthy.

While Clapham Old Town may be the geographical heart of the town,

since the development of Clapham High Street this is now the

thoroughfare and the commercial centre of Clapham. It is here that

Clapham’s first cinema was built in 1910, a building that has served a

whole range of uses until its current owners Sainsbury's built the

architecturally cutting-edge building that now anchors the whole street.

The area has a long association with the evening economy, with what is

now Infernos nightclub being for many years one of the town’s numerous

cinemas (The Majestic). It had a sliding roof, which was opened on

summer evenings before the 2nd World War, and had a very fine Compton

Organ that was played during the intervals in films.

In short, Clapham’s history is, with its large open spaces, trees, suburban

location and old town mansions, as well as its well-kept terraces and social

housing, rather quiet. It is not the kind of place you might expect to find

what looks like a little bit of Ibiza or Falaraki on a Saturday night, yet…

Infernos nightclub: in the middle of Clapham High Street; a professional and proactive venue, but how did a 1,500 capacity nightclub end up in the middle of a suburban district high street?


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4.1.2 …Clapham now

Clapham’s’ gentrification in the 1980s remains one of the most radical and

complete in London, perhaps with only Notting Hill or Islington comparing

in scale and rapidity. The list of new notables is much longer than its 18th

century equivalent, with Vivienne Westwood, JK Rowling and Damon Hill

all now resident. However, the majority of those who have moved into the

area are young professionals (particularly Australians and Irish over the

past two decades) and students, occupying split houses and flats.

Part of the attraction for residents and visitors is the connectivity, with

historic links to Victoria and London Bridge as well as the northern line

serving the town until midnight. It has TfL’s the highest ‘Public Transport

Accessibility Level’ rating (PTAL) of 6.

The East London line has been extended to Clapham High Street and

Wandsworth Road in the Old Town, opening in December 2012. Cabs are

frequent though the area (though some refuse to stop later at night – see

below) and the night bus service, which is critical to many of those who

now visit the area for its night time economy, is extensive.

Clapham’s night-time economy has grown exponentially over the past

twenty years, particularly in the high street. It has not only got bigger, for

example, by licensed venues taking over retail (e.g. McDonalds was Marks

& Spencer), but it has changed type (many restaurants now operate as

bars). It is this change that is at the crux of Clapham’s current and future

challenges. The perfect mix? While the High Street needs work, Clapham by day generally has a good mix of shops, restaurants, traditional pubs, local services and a fantastic new library (top left).


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4.1.3 Composition

Today’s Clapham High Street has around 250 frontages. Of these around

40 are active licensed premises (food, alcohol and entertainment led). This

makes it exceptional. This is higher than full town centres like Romford,

Kingston or Croydon, let alone a suburban neighbourhood town centre.

The GOAD plan overleaf shows this very clearly. A GOAD map is

essentially a way of breaking down land use into its various planning

categories, e.g. retail (A1), commercial (e.g. banks - A2), alcohol-led (A3)

food-led (A4) and takeaways (A5) etc. As can be seen the quantity of dark

blue (licensed uses) is large and they are spread throughout the town

centre, with some very large premises included.

Partly because of its vibrant night-time economy, Clapham town centre

has one of the lowest vacancy rates of all centres in Lambeth (and

London) with around 4% of units vacant (nationally is 14% at time of

writing). This indicates that it has apparently weathered the recession

well. However, it does have a much lower proportion of comparison retail

units than the national average and this relatively small selection reflects

the centre’s primary role as a local shopping destination, sometimes

looking a bit tired, albeit with a handful of outstanding retailers. There is a

new library, excellent art house cinema and a Saturday market on Venn

Street selling fresh produce.

Clapham has the great advantage of being somewhere that could work

(because of its catchment and population diversity) from early morning till

say around midnight or 1am for a whole range of, mainly local, user

groups, a bit like Highgate, Richmond or Notting Hill.

However, currently the situation, as this chapter shows, is fundamentally

different to this. But what is crucial is that in an era of change for the

‘high street’ nationally, Clapham works as a proper neighbourhood town

centre serving primarily local residents. It has neither the infrastructure,

not the spatial setting to act as one of London’s leading night time

destinations, though there is no reason why it cannot be an attractive

place to visit in the evening.

To allow Clapham to have become such an intensive night-time

economy hotspot has been a mistake and one that needs to be

addressed over time. This chapter concludes with a ‘way forward’

that sets out how this might be achieved.


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Figure 10. Clapham’s balance of NTE land uses


54

Figure 11. GOAD map showing Clapham’s land uses


55

4.1.4 Economics

Our own NightMix economic data for Clapham reveals the true changing

nature of the town. NB these NightMix figures include all of Clapham not

just Clapham High Street and they also show all businesses not just those

fronting the street, unlike the previous GOAD map.4

Figure 12. Change in Clapham’s NTE employment and turnover

Year Alcohol Food Entertainment NTE

Firms 2001 35 93 6 134

2011 46 95 4 145

Change 31.4% 2.2% -‐27.0% 8.5%

Employees 2001 320 765 177 1,262

2011 436 766 64 1,266

Change 36.3% 0.1% -‐63.6% 0.4%

Sales (£m) 2001 £16,252 £25,651 £9,331 £51,234

2011 £30,048 £33,872 £4,449 £68,369

Change 84.9% 32.0% -‐52.3% 33.4%

GVA (£m) 2001 £5,553 £10,576 £2,753 £18,882

2011 £10,383 £13,021 £2,268 £25,672

Change 87.0% 23.1% -‐17.6% 36.0%

4 NB. The NightMix data for each town differs to GOAD, because it also includes the town’s hinterland and here we find firms such as community pubs, corner takeawasy. NightMix also includes firms abover ground level and head offices of NTE firms which may not be apparent simply by walking down a high street. Therefore the NightMix figures are nearlly always larger than the ‘high street’ focused GOAD.

Overall, the number of ‘core’ night-time economy firms (i.e. pubs, bars,

restaurants, cinemas etc) barely increases from 2001 to 2011 (from 134 to

145). Yet, within this figure alcohol-led businesses increased by

almost a third while entertainment fell (albeit only by two firms).

The employee figures also highlight an important change: alcohol-led

businesses have become larger employers while food-led ones stay around

the same size (again this is contrary to the national picture).

The story of a shift towards larger, more profitable night-time

economy venues, particularly in alcohol-led sector is also clear in

annual turnover, which almost doubles between 2001 and 2011

(from £16m to £30m), while food increases by only £8m. By the end of

the decade, turnover in alcohol-led businesses now almost matches food

led businesses (again this is the reverse of the London trend).

Alcohol-led GVA (GVA can be used as a proxy for profitability) shows a

starker picture, with alcohol-led firms driving an even greater increase

relative to turnover, suggesting perhaps more investment, more efficient

business models etc.

So in Clapham it is not just the number of alcohol-led premises which is

high for a neighbourhood town centre, but that their scale and efficiency

is closer to what one might find in say Nottingham or Liverpool city centre.


56

Overall, while alcohol and food are both strong performers, entertainment

remains a weak subsector that is underpowered. This is different to the

town’s strong history in cinema, dance and theatre. This also reflects local

people (see next section) and businesses that feel that the town needs

something more diverse than alcohol and food options.

Therefore the question for Clapham, given that it is overheating and is a

major alcohol-related and theft crime hotspot for the borough, is how it

can deliver change and increased value though quality rather than more

drink-led growth. For example, how can the quantity of alcohol-led venues

be limited and their operational style changed to better suit Clapham’s role

as a neighbourhood town centre rather than continue as a misplaced

major night-time economy destination?

A surprisingly limited entertainment offer Once home to numerous cinemas and music hall events, today Clapham’s main entertainment attraction is the crucial Picturehouse Cinema (above). There is also a limited live music offer and as part of restructuring the area’s after dark offer, securing more entertainment led venues should be key. Below, Komedia, in Brighton and Bath offers a multi-genre entertainment venue that specifically attracts a diverse crowd, including families, from morning till 1am. It is the kind of offer Clapham really needs.


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4.1.5 Clapham High Street vs. Islington Upper Street

In order to provide a useful comparison, we contrast economic data for

Clapham High Street / Old Town and its immediate catchment with

Islington’s Upper Street which has a similar catchment. The reasons for

choosing the two locations were as follows:

• The similar length of inner suburban high street.

• An affluent catchment, although both with some

social housing.

• Upper Street has a more attractive feel to its public

realm that might point the way for Clapham.

• Both have a mixed offer, although while Upper

Street’s retail offer is stronger, it too is increasingly

dominated by the night-time economy.

• Because like Clapham, Upper Street is perceived to be overheating,

Islington Council have sought to address this with a similar stress

policy, but they are also considering a Late Night Levy.

The following table shows some fascinating comparisons between these

two seemingly similar areas. In particular, it is the food comparisons that

warrant most attention with Upper Street much better provided for in

terms of its balance towards food outlets (both locations have very few

take aways).

Figure 13. Night-time economic comparison between Clapham High St vs. Islington Upper St

However, it’s not just the number of food firms, Upper Street also has

almost 3 times the turnover and employment in its restaurants, indicating

both larger format outlets, but also a more premium product, which

Clapham residents say is missing from their high street (see next section).

Drink Food Entertainment NTE

Clapham High St 46 95 4 145 Firms

Upper Street 42 115 4 161

Clapham High St 436 766 64 1,266 Employment

Upper Street 344 2,041 41 2,426

Clapham High St £30.0m £33.9m £4.5m £68.3m Sales (£)

Upper Street £25.1m £86.4m £3.2m £114.8m

Clapham High St £10.4m £13.0m £2.3m £25.7m GVA (£)

Upper Street £8.6m £32.6m £1.3m £42.4m


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This is important because while both locations have public order and

alcohol-related health problems, it does show that there is considerable

potential for Clapham to sustain more food. The critical difference is that

while Clapham is primarily a ‘drinking destination’, Upper Street combines

both drink with being a ‘food and theatre’ destination, with the Almeida

Theatre and high end dining too.

While Islington is now seeking to reduce the impact of its drink-led

economy, so that it can focus on a healthier, safer and more community

and visitor focused food-led experience, Clapham has first to grow such a

reputation for food, while at the same time reducing its own drink-led

economy.

However, the opportunity exists in Clapham for those alcohol-led venues

that currently are competing on very similar terms (e.g. mainly price,

lateness), to change, particularly if a Business Improvement District is able

to build a food profile for the area over time and the regulatory regime is

toughened considerably to place much greater scrutiny on alcohol-led

venues.

Superficially similar. On the surface Islington (left) and Clapham (right) seem quite alike: a cinema, many bars and a few takeaways.

However, the analysis shows that Islington has a much greater range and depth of food such as the Alemeida restaurant (bottom right) and the Alemeida theatre (bottom left).


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4.1.6 What users and non-users want from Clapham!

To understand better what local people and visitors to Clapham think the

town needs, a street survey of 440 users and non-users was undertaken.

Full results are shown in separate appendices available from Lambeth

Council.

The key outcomes were that most people felt, as the figure below shows,

that there was a need for more community and family friendly styles in

the evening and night-time economy as well as better restaurants.

Figure 14. What venue style of Clapham needs more (or less) of

More Less Same Live music / performance / comedy venues 307 18 102 Fine dining restaurant 219 29 185 More for families / under 18s 213 44 148 More / better community / sports facilities 200 7 234 Later opening shops 194 19 212 More / better cinema provision 182 10 235 Family restaurants 171 55 197 Traditional pubs 156 28 244 Bars for older people 139 76 205 Bars for young people 93 99 239 Fast food restaurants 66 156 212

Crucially, the only areas where visitors and residents clearly wanted to see

less of a specific use was for bars (particularly for younger people) and

fast food restaurants (of which the latter Clapham has relatively few given

the scale of its late night economy).

It is clear that the proliferation of alcohol-led venues noted in the previous

section has impacted negatively both on many visitors and residents’

perceptions.

‘Live music, comedy and performance’ is the number one after dark entertainment request from residents of and visitors to Clapham.


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When asked (below) about what else (beyond night-time economy

operational styles) Clapham needs to make it a better place to live in

(after dark), more police and lighting come out as most important. This

ties closely to observations from the night-time audit (see later in this

section) and businesses’ view that the police presence is minimal in

Clapham. Indeed, most night-time economy destinations of this size would

have at least two officers on duty from about 7pm (providing early

intervention policing and 4 to 6 as the night progresses.

Figure 15. What NTE interventions would make Clapham better after dark? (434 respondents)

When asked how safe people feel in Clapham after 6pm, the majority of

people feel safe in the evening. At night this changes and there is work to

do to improve this. It can be a benchmark for measuring progress in

changing Clapham’s night-time economy.

Figure 16. Feelings of safety in Clapham after dark (1 = least safe, 5 = most safe) (434 respondents)

It is important to note that most of those questioned when they were

using the town centre at night (i.e. half of the 440 people interviewed

were spoken to between 6 to 10pm) do not find Clapham unsafe.


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There is a clear perception issue here; that those interviewed during the

day (and who are mainly locals) have a much higher tendency to think it is

dangerous, perhaps because it does feel intimidating, or alien, or perhaps

because they simply don’t go out in the evening.

When asked what deterred people from using the town centre more in the

evening or at night, those who gave an answer overwhelmingly said that it

was due to drunks and drunken behaviour (rather than crime per se).

So while Clapham is hugely popular with one group (18-35 year olds,

mainly from beyond Clapham), it struggles cater for others (both locals

and older visitors) and, crucially, it is the behaviour of this one group that

appears to deter higher usage by older people (combined with a limited

non-alcohol offer in the town).

The results strongly suggest that by changing the dynamic of the night-

time economy away from an alcohol, providing more community, quality

food and family focused activities, Clapham could become a safer and

safer feeling place which is more relevant to the local population and in

keeping with its historic role as a neighbourhood centre.

Nottingham – a leader after dark. Nottingham sought to programme its pre-eminent public space, The Old Market Square, with after dark events all year round, including a partnership with the BBC called Big Night Out, which is specifically for older people and their families.

They have also gone as far as designing the public realm with input from older people too, asking what would make it work for them in the evening. Design ideas incorporated include minimal level changes, high differentiation lighting for visually impaired users, lots of seating and toilets open in the evening.


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4.1.7 Night-time economy demographics

Part of understanding the right kind of evening and night-time economy

for any area involves first understanding the local community as well as

situating a place within its citywide context.

As we see from its history, Clapham has been a relatively sedate, leafy

suburb with an historic old town and vibrant retail high street, with a small

selection of pubs, cinemas and shops serving mainly local people.

It cannot be overstated how recently, and in such an unplanned or

anticipated fashion, Clapham has gone from affluent but mixed

neighbourhood to full-on late night clubbing destination.

One way of identifying if there is a mismatch between the ‘offer’ and the

population is to examine the ‘socio-demographics’ of Clapham’s local

catchment.

To do this we used Experian's ‘Acorn’ socio-demographic classifications for

Lambeth’s towns. Acorn divides households up into 61 categories e.g.

‘Asian enterprise’, ‘single house sharers’, and ‘welfare borderline’.

Below is the profile for Clapham’s residents, which reflects its

predominantly wealthier older resident and young professional catchment.

I.e. most people fit into the following 3 of the 61 categories.

Figure 17. Clapham socio-demographics

Ward “Older Senior Professionals”

“Successful singles”

“Single house sharers”

Clapham Common Clapham Town Larkhall

However, observing the current users of the night-time economy (see

following section), it is clear that there is a mismatch. While there are

numerous ‘successful singles’, there are few visible ‘older senior

professionals’. Indeed, many of those using the night-time economy

venues are ‘skilled working class’ (or ‘big night outers’) looking for

something that might once have been provided by, say, Croydon but

which Clapham now offers a more aspirational version of. There are also

those that Experian call ‘urban intelligence’ (i.e. students or young

professionals starting out in life).

It is clear that Clapham serves those who moved to the area for nightlife

well, but for the others (e.g. ‘Older Senior Professionals’), the offers seems

somewhat mismatched. Indeed, while the ‘successful singles’ may have

moved to the area for the nightlife, it may now be that many of them are

increasingly finding that it no longer serves those needs as they gain more

responsibilities at work and start families.


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4.1.8 Crime

It is critical to put it up front: Clapham has a crime problem. It is not a

wildly dangerous place and the chances of being a victim of crime, if you

are outside the core 18-35 group using the night-time economy, are small.

That is because the majority of crime experienced in Clapham’s public

spaces (both the street and in public accessible business) are either

alcohol-related (perpetrators and victims) or theft from night-time

economy users.

However, it is hard to believe that Clapham, leafy inner London suburb

that it is, can be found in the same crime league as Waterloo-South Bank

(with its 40m visitors a year) and Brixton (with its gritty urban edge). But

it is, albeit Brixton’s crime can be considerably more serious. This is not a

sustainable picture. The next four figures show that:

• Clapham is the 3rd highest crime area in Lambeth, after Waterloo-

South Ban and Brixton.

• There is a major concentration of incidents around the High Street and

the Underground stations.

• Statistics provided by LBL and police for March to September 2012

suggest the premises experiencing highest amount of crimes (in

descending order) are Infernos (the largest venue), Aquum,

Revolution, Café Sol, Two Brewers and So UK Bar & Nightclub.

• The peak of crime is between 1 and 2 am (20% of total for 12 hour

evening and night-time economy period).

• Friday night / Saturday morning and Saturday night / Sunday morning

account for about three-quarter of all crime.

• Crime types are dominated by theft and ASB. ABH and malicious

wounding are much lower.

• For 2011-12 ambulance call-outs are hugely concentrated Clapham

High Street.

While it’s impossible to put an exact estimate on it, it seems reasonable to

suggest that Clapham town centre should have no more than a quarter of

its current crime levels if it is to reflect London’s other mainly affluent

inner suburbs such as Battersea, Wandsworth, Primrose Hill, Notting Hill,

Putney or say Chiswick. Perhaps only our comparator location Islington

has similar challenges.


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Figure 18. Clapham crime by time of day & day of week

Figure 19. Clapham ambulance call outs


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Figure 20. Clapham crime by hotspot


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THOSE WHO DO NOT EXPERIENCE HOW THEIR TOWN CENTRES FUNCTION AFTER DARK, ARE OFTEN THOSE MAKING POLICY FOR THE NTE Experience of how a place really works is essential in order to answer questions like:

• What sorts of people are out and about after dark (and who is not)?

• Where are the opportunities to reduce crime through better design?

• How do (intoxicated) people interact with the public realm, street furniture and traffic?

• Are the door supervisors professional and in control, properly briefed by the police at the start of the

evening and effectively using their RadioLink scheme if available?

• How are the police operating, are they using an early intervention approach or just reacting to incidents?

• Is the lighting adequate, not just in terms of acceptable levels of lumens as specified by highways

departments, but for people navigating safely, to help deter crime?

• What types of leisure, retail and cultural offering are missing, given the likely or potential catchment?

• What are the real gems that could be encouraged further?

The list is almost endless, so is it any wonder that licensing, planning and policy decisions taken in

offices during the day are so often ‘day-biased’, partial or just inappropriate for the night?

To avoid this we undertook a ‘night-time audit’ in Clapham based

on a simplified version of the ‘gold-

standard’ Purple Flag methodology.

We brought together officers,

councillors, police, local residents,

night-time economy businesses and

voluntary groups to tour Clapham

from 6pm on a Saturday evening

through until 4am on Sunday

morning, when many socialisers

are trying to find their way home.

The following pages highlight the

observations, concerns, good

practice and assets of Clapham

after dark...

4.1.9 Clapham night-time ‘audit’


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Clapham High Street is busy with traffic moving quickly through its

wide lanes, creating a hostile pedestrian environment at the limited

crossing opportunities. There is a strong feeling that this space’s

purpose is not as a shopping, leisure and commercial

neighbourhood centre serving the needs of the large local

population first (which it should be), but that it is designed to

smooth the flow of other people’s (motorised) lives through the

heart of a community. (Contrast this with Exhibition Road or

Kensington High Street where traffic has been de-prioritised to the

benefit of the quality of public realm and local user experiences).

Clapham High Street just doesn’t seem to be somewhere you would go at this

time of day to meet friends, it seems wholly transitional. Where are the locals

having a coffee or a drink after a day in the West End or having taken the kids

to Saturday sports? Ah, there they are, a few at least, in the pubs of the Old

Town – but can this not be extended into the high street?

Locals are shopping at Sainsbury’s, many purchasing food and

drink for a night in, while the occasional young man leaves and

walks unsteadily from the weight of a 24 pack of lager under

his arm, probably for a house party or maybe to pre-load

before a big night out.


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Crucially, despite Clapham’s demographics showing

that families do live locally, there appear to be none

out using the facilities that do exist, such as the

cinema. And, like the consumer survey, it is clear that

this early evening offer is fundamentally missing from

most of Clapham, particularly the High Street.

The pavements are just about wide enough to carry the footfall at this time of

day; they won’t be later. While the light remains, it is easy to see that there

are few shops open (contrast to Brixton where many shops including Morley’s

department store are open until 7pm, even on a Saturday).

Nobody appears to be making use of the limited pavement cafe options and,

although it is autumn, this doesn’t stop other locations, from Brighton to

Manchester, having a vibrant early evening offer.


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Representatives of Clapham Methodist Church

(below) show the team around their fantastic glass

fronted space that fronts the high street.

Currently it is mainly used for church events, but the

local minister wants to offer it as a ‘safe-space’ for

the night-time economy and a base for a potential

street pastor scheme.

It’s probably the best-located and fitted space in the

UK for that purpose. During the study it was clear

that local residents were against the idea, but this

has been overcome and the safe space has been

created! Next step: street pastors…

The fine new library (right) by architects Egret West.

with its transparent frontage and public art, is lit but

remains empty, closing as it does at 5pm on

Saturdays.

It now adds very little to the street. Could it not

have had a broader community use in the early

evening – a space for local groups to use? The restaurants, such as they

exist on the high street, are

reasonably busy. An older clientele

(in their 30s to 50s) are eating.

But afterwards, where do they go?

They are rarely to be seen in the

bars or even the pubs in any

numbers after 10pm.

There are very few branded

restaurants, which is normally

encouraging and reflective of local

independence, but in Clapham it

feels like they are scared to invest

in what should be a ‘no brainer’.


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Venn Street (right) provides

an example of how better

quality public space attracts a

better type of offer and a

more discerning clientele,

with restaurants such as the

Rapscallion, Gastro and

Kasbah appearing to attract a

more local following. Yet

Venn Street Records, while a

great looking and sounding

bar, sits incongruously on this

street, and while it would be

at home in Shoreditch, it is

out of place in its current

operational style in Venn

Street.


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Back on the street nobody is greeting socialisers when they are arriving

or setting out expected standards of behaviour, for example, PCSOs,

pastors, street wardens /angels or police. This needs to be corrected

because at present, while the door supervisors are well organised and

professional, it doesn’t feel like anybody is in control. Fortunately, there

is no street begging that blights other parts of the borough.

The volume of people drinking outside all

the alcohol-led premises, from around 8pm

until 3am, is huge and often exacerbated

by the smoking ban.

Even for the likes of a ‘dedicated’ night-

time economy precinct, such as

Birmingham Broad Street, this would be

challenging, but this is a neighbourhood

town centre with 10,000 frequently

intoxicated individuals.

This makes walking up and down the west

side of Clapham High Street almost

impossible without being forced into the

road, street furniture or crushed against

cars. And it’s not yet 9pm!

The ‘party crowd’ are starting to arrive. This is early. Most

locations, following the relaxation of licensing laws, don’t

start to liven up until 10pm, often with partygoers arriving

having massively preloaded. And, while some of those in

queues are intoxicated, it is by no means a scene of

drunken incapacity on the streets…yet.


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The street’s ATMs are under severe pressure.

More problematic are the queues that force

people out into the road or cause flashpoints as

people, often intoxicated, try to push through.

Secondly, they make an ideal location for ‘dippers’

and pickpockets to single out victims, a practice

which is known to be a serious problem in

Clapham’s NTE.


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Around 100 people are queuing for Infernos, the town’s main venue, before 9pm. This is

very early for a nightclub; most clubs now expect queues after midnight. It’s testament to

Infernos’ party reputation and the quality of night it offers. 80% of customers are new (i.e.

never been to the club before), and are often from Surrey, Essex, Croydon and West

London, which is astounding and suggests strongly how Clapham has changed.

We step inside to see a well-run operation. Entry process entails identifying every 1 in 4

customers by digitally ID scanner and the club with its 1,500 capacity has 100 staff on a

Saturday night including 25 security personnel. This is key as one of the main crimes in the

nightclub was found to be dipping when women are dancing. There is also a free clutch

bag check. This shows the club in a proactive light trying to protect customers.

Outside, the club does its best to manage the queue, splitting it in front of neighbouring

premises such as McDonald’s (right) to allow people to use these venues. But this flags up

one of the main challenges facing Clapham’s night-time economy: the infrastructure wasn’t

built for this quantity of people, and certainly not at night.


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Clapham is much busier

now, and with its most

diverse crowd of the

evening: a mixture of the

few over 40s using some of

the smaller bars in the Old

Town, but with the younger

18+ crowd already

dominating.

Marina, a 22 year old student is handing out ‘2 for 1

shots’ cards for Souk Bar at the junction of Venn Street.

What is Clapham like for her?

“Well it’s okay, I tend to a fair bit of abuse; you get

pretty horrible stuff from some men who think they can

say what they like“.

Is she ever afraid? “At times yes, but not that often,

there are plenty of people around I guess”. How much is

she paid? “£6 an hour.”

She’s not the only one giving our flyers and while not like

Falaraki (yet), it’s hard to understand why a

neighbourhood centre has people flyering for night-time

economy businesses; suggesting over-competition and a

lack of diversity.

Because parking restrictions do not operate into the

night in many locations near the town centre, it becomes

difficult for residents to park on Fridays and Saturdays

after 8.30pm. Visitors, customers and employees of the

evening economy park in these spots causing difficulties

for residents who may be returning from an evening out

elsewhere. However, if this was changed, where would

others park?

The High Street is already much dirtier

than pre-6pm, with wrappers,

newspapers, boxes and food left around

from 8pm and increasingly cans and

bottles of alcohol left before people enter

venues. Some form of street cleansing

could be incorporated on Fridays &

Saturday at 7-8pm and early morning

(Sunday) on the High Street and nearby

Nelson’s Row.


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Some younger people are leaving Clapham for other late night

clubbing locations (such as the Ministry of Sound which has a

‘feeder bar’ in the town).

This suggests three main types of user from around 10pm to

midnight: a few locals looking to get a drink on their way home

from the cinema or a restaurant (or who have arrived back from a

night in the West End), those who use Clapham as pre-clubbing

meeting place and those who have come to the town for a big

night out.

Because there is no pre-evening for ‘door supervisor briefing’

attended by police (e.g. best practice in Brighton) it is difficult

to assess support for partnership working.

For example, are other shops / stakeholders included in the

Clapham Licensing Forum, such as McDonald’s, KFC, Subway,

taxi providers, the Church etc?

The answer is generally no but this would give a more holistic

view to problem solving and better partnership working.

While the atmosphere remains

friendly, the level of intoxication is

now substantial. It is hard to identify

somebody who has not consumed

considerable quantities of alcohol.

One of the real concerns is the

number of people who run across

Clapham High Street from the main

clusters of bars on the west side to

the east side either to hail a cab or

to visit one of the other bars. It is

only a matter of time before there is

a very serious incident here.


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A text message is received via Bluetooth around

midnight outside of Infernos with an LBL crime &

disorder safety message. This is a great idea to

expand ways of promoting safety, but should we

be promoting the use of mobiles outside busy

venues given the level of theft. This needs re-

thinking?

A trip up Bromell’s Road (parallel to the High

Street in the Old Town) reveals evidence of theft

as an empty wallet found without cash but with

driving licence and credit cards still in it.

It’s at this time that ‘A3 to A4 creep’ starts to be visible,

particularly towards the northern end of the high street. A4 creep

is where food-led venues turn, chameleon like, into bars. And, in

the case of around six or seven venues in Clapham, they turn into

de facto nightclubs with dancing and very loud music. This needs

to be challenged and existing planning (rather than licensing)

permissions enforced. There is judicial precedent around this.

This A3-A4 creep is exacerbated, according to a resident we meet,

in summer when the bars use their very loud sounds systems to

pump out heavy dance music and their sliding doors are pulled

fully back. This is where a small local high street starts to feel like

a clubbing strip in Ibiza or Falaraki.


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This is now peak time. There is a level of chaos more often seen in

provincial city alcohol-led night time economies. Littering is considerable

but because of the limit of takeaways the high street it is not out of

control, something that must be maintained through stringent planning

and licensing controls.

This confusing and increasingly difficult

environment is exacerbated by the

location and type of bins, signage and

bike racks which are often large, bulky

and unused at night. This needs to

change.

Given a 30mph limit, the volume of fast moving traffic

and a high level of intoxication this creates chaos. Other

locations, from Doncaster to Plymouth, have closed off

streets with this number of intoxicated people as a

temporary safety measure, but this is not an option here.

The long-term solution is to change Clapham into a local

town centre with a modest, food-led evening and

midnight/1am night-time economy, but in the short term

the solution would be enforce licensing laws around

intoxication, to reduce the speed of traffic and provide a

controlled place with taxi marshalls to hail a cab, e.g. the

new library, Manor Street or Stonehouse Street.


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Venues and the street

remain hugely busy,

often feeling more

like the West End,

Soho or Shoreditch

than a community

high street.

Many black cabs are

turning their lights out

but clearly have no

passengers, which is a

classic technique to

avoid picking up

drunks.

This means that non-

licensed taxis are

picking up girls putting

them at risk.

There is no ‘one stop

shop’ for mini-cabs

either other than the

three taxi shops, but

when asked for cab to

nearby Kennington (a

ten minute journey) it

was a 45-minute wait,

which is unacceptable.

A young woman in her 20s has been assaulted, blood is pouring from her nose

and she may require surgery. This is the only ambulance call out this night to

Clapham High Street. Police from Vauxhall arrive in van – the only police that

are seen all night. Statements are taken and she is taken into the ambulance

for treatment.

Urination is a serious

problem in Clapham High

Street and the Old Town.

The absence of public

toilets becomes clear

around midnight to 2am

when men are caught

short. (Urine trails left are

very common).

The community toilet

scheme helps but the pop-

up toilet that is not

currently used needs to be

resurrected by the council

and / or any future BID

and the 20p toilet made

free.


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At this point, the north end of the high street has more custom. The

late night drinking venues have people heading towards them. Yet

there are still perhaps 2 to 4,000 people in the various bars and out in

the street, with many of those who aren’t taking buses waiting until

the first underground trains of the day from 5am to get home.

Reflections… Clapham feels like a location that is great fun

for the majority of people from out of town

who visit it. Generally, the bars attract people

who don’t get into fights. But the public

realm, the levels of intoxication, theft and the

density and scale of night-time economy are

out of all proportion with the kind of town

centre Clapham was just 15 years ago. How

can it regain control?

Bus stops are now busy

with many of those going

home, queuing as real time

information from TfL helps

people know when their

bus is due. In some

locations this works well,

but in others it is a real

issue with blockages on

pavements.


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4.1.10 Management, infrastructure and planning There is no single model of night-time economy management that can be

transferred wholesale between locations. However, there is acknowledged

best practice that has worked elsewhere (e.g. Broad Street overleaf), and,

until recently virtually none of these have existed in Clapham:

• Clear leadership and night-time economy ownership.

• Wider community engagement.

• A vision for what the night-time economy should look and feel like.

• A night-time economy plan to make the vision happen.

• Effective policy (planning and licensing) to support the vision.

• Resources for quick wins to build consensus behind the plan.

• Strong enforcement of existing police and rules.

• Public realm improvements.

Clapham still performs poorly against a number of these criteria but the

council has recently sought to make improvements:

• It has commissioned the development of a BID.

• The library has been completed (a community heart and later opening, at least on weekdays, with urban living above).

• A Cumulative Impact (or Stress) policy to limit new alcohol-led development has been introduced.

• More joined up licensing and planning enforcement is now taking place.

This is positive, but there is still a long way to go. Following a case study

of Birmingham’s Broad Street, the final section suggests ways forward.

Best Practice: Birmingham Broad Street night-time BID

Broad Street in Birmingham had a problem. It became the city’s

pre-eminent nightspot in the space of less than five years at the end

of the late 90s decade. The infrastructure couldn’t keep up; licensed

premises proliferated, as did alcohol related violence.

Police and council ‘suggested’ it became the first night-time only

BID in the UK in order to avoid punitive regulation.

Operators were resistant at first – to paying a small but additional

levy. However, the council and police made clear to them (behind

the scenes) that if night-time economy businesses didn’t up their

game and address issues like Radiolink, dispersal and cleansing then

the authorities would be left with no option but to follow a course of

punitive enforcement rather than a more constructive format.

Businesses realised that the writing could be on the wall and if they

were to avoid heavy-handed regulation they would need to form the

BID.

The BID was skilfully brought together and now provides a whole

range of services, mainly during the night but also during the day to

members, and has built strong relations with the authorities and

partners such as the concert halls and theatres and hotels nearby.


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Broad Street in

Birmingham has not

only addressed many

of its crime problems,

but the BID now

contributes to

cleansing, taxi

marshalling, feature

lighting, wayfinding

and activities that

enliven and broaden its

appeal at quiet times.


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4.1.11 The ‘ideal’ Clapham – ‘A Moodboard’

6 to 9am Commuters leaving for work, animating the street; coffees and breakfast being ordered.

9am to 5pm Parents stopping off for a coffee on their way home from playgroup, kids on their way to and from school, older people shopping for small items using services such as the bank.

5 to 9pm A truly diverse community, with all welcome: young families visiting the early showings at the cinema and having a meal, with older people visiting a restaurant or having a pint or two of real ale in a pub, young singles or couples using the casual dining options before visiting a later cinema showing at the Picturehouse.

9 to 11pm Those who‘ve been to the local cinema or into the West End are to be found catching a later drink or perhaps a curry before making their way home for a quiet night’s sleep.

11pm to 1am A small number of later bars serving discerning drinkers looking to extend their night with a quality, not volume, drink offer and a genuine food offer.

It is up to the community to create a town centre vision, but shouldn’t it look a bit more like this?

1am to 6am ‘Quiet time’. Most visitors have left, residents get a good night’s sleep and the streets can be cleaned ready for the next day. At weekends this might be as late as 2am, but not 5am!


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4.1.12 Way forward

Way Forward: Clapham In our view Clapham has four potential ‘after dark’ futures:

1. Maintain the status quo (i.e. some enforcement but limited planning,

management and infrastructure improvements).

2. Allow a ‘free for all’ (limited enforcement) but put in the infrastructure to allow very large (perhaps even larger) numbers of young partygoers to dominate.

3. Adopt a highly aggressive regulatory environment for licensed premises and invoke considerable further enforcement that seeks to ‘weed out’ premises.

4. Introduce a short-term management plan to handle the excesses of the current

situation, while seeking a wider community vision for the town centre as a whole,

which is likely to deliver a family focused evening economy, with (over time) a reduced number of late night bars, operating to earlier closing times.

We believe the only solution looks something like option 4. All the others either perpetuate the current problems or risk damaging the viability of the town centre (when high streets no longer have the investment and retail function of the past).

Clapham is at the point where it needs a masterplan / vision document (what

Lambeth calls a ‘place plan’), not just after dark, but for its whole future…


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Way Forward: Clapham Given the development of the BID, the range of community groups and landowners,

there needs to be a wide-ranging consultation that answers questions about the

night-time economy and beyond, such as:

• What will be the role of Clapham High Street in 10 or 20 years? How will this fit with the Old

Town and neighbouring locations?

• How will retail decline be arrested (if at all) or what will fill the voids?

• How can Clapham’s’ round the clock (but not 24 hour) offer better fit the demographics locally

and meet the needs of current and future residents, while still being attractive to visitors, but

in a more controlled way?

• How will such a vision and place plan fit with the London Plan, the new Lambeth Local Plan,

the transport plan and the council’s own economic strategy?

• How can the proposed BID help create a viable town centre from 6am to say 1am (late night

cessation TBC), with clear functions at different times of day but with a smooth transition?

• How can the town be enlivened for locals, for example a night market on Venn Street (see the

one in Bermondsey Square) and festivals as part of a plan to change the demographic to

which the town appeals?

• What will success look like?

• How will such a vision and place plan be delivered in an era of funding austerity?


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.

Way Forward: Clapham However, while a Clapham Place Plan is developed, there are some quick wins for

Clapham, to be delivered by public agencies and the BID when live:

• An updated night-time management plan addressing the issues identified in this study.

• Under this introduce best practice schemes such as Yellow / Red Card for warning / banning offenders; a radionet scheme to support this and enhance coherence; street pastors and a safe space (hub) for them to operate out of; door supervisor briefings to enhance cooperation, fund wardens / ‘meet and greeters’ to enhance the customer (and resident) experience.

• Maintain the cumulative impact (saturation) area and enhance licensing enforcement to ‘weed out’ and review weak operators.

• Maintain the Night Time Economy Officer role until crime is substantially down.

• Enforce planning consents more robustly to address ‘A3 creep’ (where restaurants are now operating as de facto late night bars or even clubs).

• Public toilets are required – funding should come from the NTE-private sector, as it is their customers who are creating the problem. The 20p toilet should be free in the meantime.

• De-clutter the High Street – this would be a winner for residents, businesses and visitors.

• Allow time for a BID to address NTE problems before introducing the LNL / EMRO.

• Aim for Purple Flag in two to three years as recognition of changing the dynamic of the town.

All these quick win and long-term interventions are set out in the final chapter of this study: Next Steps: ‘Ideas into Action’.


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Bringing together the community in Clapham - residents, businesses (day and night-time), voluntary sector, the council, police and other public agencies - to create a ’place

plan’. This should map out a future where the ‘after dark’ experience of the town fits better with the wider community aspirations for the town.


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SECTION 4 The six town centres: Waterloo-South Bank


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4.2 Waterloo-South Bank: Making connections

Historically Waterloo was comprised of a number of marshlands, hence

much of the area was known as Lambeth Marshe and this survives today

and forms one of the area’s key evening economy hubs around Lower

Marsh. This difficult terrain meant that for many centuries, as much of

London was developing to the north of the Thames and to the east in

Southwark, that this area was left untouched with only raised roads

passing though it.

Towards the end of the 18th century much of it was drained but it was

only at the start of the 19th century, post Wellington’s defeat of Napoleon

in Belgium, that the name of Waterloo was affixed, initially by naming one

of the original Lambeth council areas after the victory, then in the naming

of Waterloo Road (which is key to its spatial nature today) and probably

most significantly in the naming of the station.

The station, which has been rebuilt a number of times (never with ideas of

public realm clarity, navigability and quality of experience in mind), was

originally constructed in 1848 and has become the UK’s busiest station

with 90m passengers a year. It has recently had a leisure terrace added to

it featuring around 20 new shops and bars. It was only after the opening

of the station that the area became known as Waterloo.

Waterloo Bridge opened in its earliest incarnation in 1817 and was at that

time called the Strand Bridge. Today the bridge, along with the

Hungerford footbridge, is key to the connectivity between Waterloo &

South Bank and the tourist heartland of the West End and Charing Cross

Station. Indeed, it is easier and more natural to cross the Thames towards

Waterloo & South Bank than it is to leave the confusing and fragmented

mess that is Waterloo and navigate to either to the South Bank or the Cut-

Lower Marsh.

There are four geographically distinct but interconnected (albeit at times

barely) hubs of activity within Waterloo.

• Waterloo Station, which is the ‘elephant in the room’, a huge benefit

(and potentially a larger one if re-engineered) but a huge obstacle to

the creation of a fully realised destination.

• Lower Marsh, which serves the surrounding neighbourhood as well as

office workers at lunchtime and a small number of visitors at night

(particularly the Old Vic Tunnels being a major recent venue here,

which has sadly closed – hopefully only temporarily).

• The Cut features two of London’s best theatres: The Old Vic and the

New Vic, but also a range of upmarket dining and retail experiences

and considerable residential accommodation.

• South Bank, with its mix of world class culture, chain restaurants,

riverside walks and distinctive but at times confusing public realm.


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4.2.1 Policy, planning and management

Waterloo Supplementary Planning Document

Lambeth Council has been consulting and has set out the planning policy

framework for development activity in this area through a Waterloo

Supplementary Planning Document (right). The plan shows 15 potential

development sites – some, like the station, major ones. Elizabeth House

has recently received planning permission and other schemes are in the

pipeline.

Taken together, the fifteen sites, plus the proposal for a new Town

Square, have the power to transform the appeal of the area in the evening

and at night - numbers 1, 2, 3, 14 and 15 especially so. The priorities are

to reduce the feeling of intimidation, overcome severance, improve

pedestrian connections and animate the edges of buildings and structures

at street level.

The festive character, which has been carefully developed on the South

Bank, can colour the whole area. Waterloo Station itself is key to this

transformation. Already the new mezzanine within the station has added a

new dimension to its appeal, but its magnificent exterior remains bleak

and forbidding. Lambeth Council’s Supplementary Planning Document is

an excellent start to what should be a flagship scheme for the centre of

London and the South Bank.

Figure 21. Waterloo & South Bank development sites

1. Waterloo Station

2. Elizabeth House

3. Shell Centre

4. Southbank Art complex

5. St Thomas’ Hospital

6. York House

7. Becket House

8. Founders Place

9. 2-6 Hercules Road

10. 111-141 Westminster Bridge Rd

11. Doon St.

12. Coin Street Neighbourhood Centre

13. Gabriel’s Wharf & Prince’s wharf

14. Union Jack Club/Mercury House Waterloo Rd

15. Cornwall Road. The Cut


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Evening and night time public realm improvements

A public realm strategy should go hand-in-hand with new development

proposals. The map overleaf outlines how this might work. The routes at

ground level across the Station (no.2) should be opened up to connect

Lower Marsh with South Bank. The Waterloo Road façade (no 4) should

face out with shops and cafes. In front of Waterloo Arch (no 5) is the

location for the Town Square – an opportunity to banish the intimidating

experience of crossing the road to catch a train at night, or visiting (via

underground tunnels) to reach the Imax Cinema.

Some improvements have already been carried out at no.6 where the

roads converge. This is a natural place to create another pedestrian piazza

and draw the Old Vic Theatre and the Cut into one with the specialist

shops and global cuisine of Lower Marsh.

The future success of the area as a destination is bound up with the

implementation of proposals for Waterloo Station: the mix of night-time

economy activities it contains, the quality of active frontages at street level

and improvements in pedestrian linkage across or beneath the station.

This is particularly important to the rear to Lower Marsh/The Cut and to

the front across to the South Bank. There is the potential to create a

world-class destination in keeping with other national cultural centres but

at the moment both day, and particularly at night (when it is forbidding),

it is a long way off this.

David Chipperfield’s designs for Elizabeth House and Waterloo Arch Square are

to be welcomed from a placemaking and traffic mitigation perspective. But it is

crucial for the night-time economy that the ‘public gallery’ space shown here is

open in the evening to retain users in the area. If it is closed it will only add to

the sense of this area as a ‘rush-through’ space for commuters and central

London visitors.


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Figure 22. Waterloo & South Bank spatial character assessment

3 5

4 1

7

6

1. The Cut: different consumer markets: travellers, social housing, affluent residents, office workers during the day and culture seekers in the evenings and at weekends.

2. Dominated and constrained by Waterloo Station & rail lines. Separate, distinctive sub areas to be opened up better to Lower Marsh and The Cut.

3. Needs to link better to South Bank to reach potential as destination, though some notable improvements.

4. Development in and around station is key to improved appeal and connectivity, given role of station as centre for shopping, eating and drinking.

5. Town Square proposed by Mayor at Waterloo Arch. Can it be a ‘real’ town square?

6. Second key space at Waterloo Road/ The Cut and Lower Marsh.

7. Animation during the day through street markets in Lower Marsh and at RFH. Night market proposed for Lower Marsh.

2


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Street drinking

There are clear implications (which were brought out in the stakeholder

consultations and business survey) that street drinking is a real issue for

businesses, residents and visitors, as well as of course for drinkers’ health

and safety.

There are 10 late convenience shops in Waterloo. They are mostly

independents and nearly all of them are selling alcohol throughout the day

and evening. Some are 24 hours. It is clear that there is overprovision

here given that the ‘legitimate’ core audience for these shops are the small

number of local residents and the worker take-home market.

Recent raids on some of these shops have also found both illegal products

and illegal migrants working in some of them.

While it is only possible through licence review to remove a licence, there

is the possibility of limiting future off-licence applications. This would

compliment existing measures (such as the Bishop’s homelessness task

force which is trying to get rough sleepers and drink dependent people off

the streets).

This can be done via an innovative ‘off-premises only cumulative impact

policy’ (similar to the ‘on ‘ trade’ special policy covering pub and bar

licences in Clapham). This has been very successful in both Blackpool and

Leicester .The former location (where it was introduced to reduce

domestic violence in specific neighbourhoods) claim that it has worked

better than their regular saturation policy for pubs and bars in another

part of town, with no new off-licences being granted since its introduction.

This is included as a potential intervention in the ‘Ideas into Action’ section

at the rear of the document.

Waterloo Qtr Business Improvement District

The area has a very strong business improvement district in Waterloo Qtr,

which works closely with the South Bank Employers Group to advance the

brand, reputation and safety of the area. The BID is currently addressing a

range of issues from street drinking to noise management.

In particular, the themes that the BID is pursuing and of which we are

most supportive are its initiatives to try and animate the area after 5pm

e.g. a night market in Lower Marsh.

However, we would also strongly encourage the BID to continue to lobby

for appropriate street level development and operational uses that suits

the evening and night-time economy in all new development plans and

proposals. The BID is the only voice strong enough to ensure that the

night-time economy, which is often misunderstood by planners,

masterplanners and developers is properly built into the area’s future. The

BID has already demonstrated it really does understand this and should

continue to play to this strength as the area develops, if it to become one

of London’s top after dark destinations.


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4.2.2 Economics

The figure below shows Waterloo & South Bank’s huge dominance over

the borough’s night-time economy and its London-wide significance. To

put it in context, the turnover of the ‘core’ night-time economy business in

this geographically tight area is similar to the revenue generate by all NTE

firms that make up whole local authority areas like Hull, Cambridge,

Greenwich, Norwich or Preston.

Figure 23. Waterloo-South Bank NTE jobs and turnover

2011 (exc *) Drink Food Ents NTE

Firms 30 126 11 167

Employment 209 1,610 536 2,355

Turnover (% of borough) 10.0% 56.2% 29.4% 29.8%

Turnover (£) £151m

Turnover (£) *2001 £83m

Core night-time economy sales turnover in Waterloo & South Bank was

just over £150m in 2011, up from £83m in 2001. This is a huge 82%

increase, and possibly the largest percentage night-time economy uplift

for a major location in the UK over that time.

Waterloo’s night-time economy sales revenues are by far the greatest in

the borough, with over half its entertainment and almost a third of food

sales. Much of the former is due to the historic nature of the

entertainment and culture sector here. However, the latter is due

considerably to the expansion of the South Bank’s food offer since the

Royal Festival Hall’s refitting, as well as the growth in restaurants in the

Cut and Lower Marsh.

As a result, there are 167 night-time economy firms employing 2,340

people. This is nearly 6% of the area’s 42,676 overall employees.

However, although Waterloo & South Bank is the strongest of the night-

time economies in Lambeth, its performance could be even stronger given

the relative size of the local employment base, its adjacency to London’s

tourist heartlands and the flow of people generated by the station.

For example, the Waterloo & South Bank economy overall contains 38% of

Lambeth’s employment (and together with Vauxhall it is nearer 50%).

And, this has grown over the last ten years, whereas many of the

borough’s smaller centres have declined (in general employment terms not

NTE jobs). So there are still opportunities to better tap into this huge daily

inflow of commuters as well as relying on the traditional tourist market.

Waterloo stands at the head of the employment pyramid in Lambeth (both

general and night-time economy) and it is likely that its capacity for

further growth (in absolute rather than relative numbers) is greatest.

Given its location it makes sense for Waterloo to become a strategic

centre for the night-time economy in Lambeth along with neighbouring

Vauxhall.


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4.2.3 Spatial analysis This analysis uses GOAD map data (overleaf) to show the current night-

time mix in order to understand the wider land use balance at street level.

Figure 24. Waterloo (not inc South Bank) NTE land use5

Operational style No % Land Use

Traditional pubs 9 10 A4 Food-led bars, cafés & branded food pubs 9 10 A4

Nightclubs & late venues for under 25s 0 0 Sui Generis

Family & global restaurants, coffee bars 39 43 A3

Fine dining 6 7 A3

Fast food take-aways 9 10 A5

Cinema, theatre, concert & dance 3 3 D2

Live performance: pop music & comedy 0 0 D2 Late-opening museum, art gallery, library, education & community venues 0 0 D1

Late-opening shops & markets 10 11 A1

Sports, leisure & fitness venues 0 0 D2

Amusements, bingo & casinos 0 0 Sui Generis

Betting shops 5 5 A2

Totals 90 99

5 NB. NightMix data for each town differs to GOAD, because it also includes the town’s hinterland and here we find firms such as community pubs, corner takeawasy. NightMix also includes firms abover ground level and head offices of NTE firms which may not be apparent simply by walking down a high street. Therefore the NightMix figures are always larger than the ‘high street’ GOAD.

It is important to note that these GOAD figures do not include the South

Bank which is an omission from GOAD’s national mapping. However,

despite this, the following picture emerges:

• Waterloo Station outlets account for over half of the visible units in

Waterloo – 58 out of 90 (obviously if South Bank was included this

would rise by around 40 units).

• Quantity and quality of cultural attractions (e.g. Old Vic and New Vic)

is clearly exceptional, even without the South Bank.

• Quality dining is particularly significant with several quality

restaurants, global cuisine and international food in and around the

Cut.

• Lower Marsh maintains a distinctive with ‘village atmosphere’, quirky

and specialist independent shops and restaurants.

• Whilst many improvements have been made to the South Bank

Centre, away from the Riverfront, it still retains a slightly intimidating

atmosphere after dark – a place to get through rather than to stay in

and relax. It is hoped that the development of the Town Square

connecting it to Waterloo and the redevelopment of the Hayward /

Queen Elizabeth Hall will address this.


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Figure 25. Waterloo land use GOAD


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4.2.4 Demographics

The population of Waterloo & South Bank is limited due to the high

numbers of offices, leisure, retail and cultural institutions; therefore typical

demographic analysis is not possible to a reliable level. However, of those

few people that do live here there is a clear mix between older residents

and some families in social housing (both council and housing association)

and those living in the small number of newer upmarket developments.

Demographically, our analysis does not find a mismatch between what is

offered to the local community in the evening and at night. Indeed, with

Lower Marsh and the Cut as well as the South Bank it could hardly be

better for food, entertainment and convenience shopping). And, because

there is no ‘late night’ economy near the social housing here this

minimises (though not eliminates) the level of impact on residents in the

early hours.

However, there are challenges, particularly with low-level anti-social

behaviour, noise from licensed premises in the evening and street

drinking, all of which are addressed in the Way Forward section at the end

of this chapter.

There is a broad mix of social and private housing in Waterloo, with terracing,

estates and new-build apartments. Excellent recent work by Waterloo Qtr BID

and residents has led to a first rate scheme to mediate between licensed

premises and locals to sort out problems that occur in the night-time economy.

It is a first class example that should be taken up across London. However,

challenges remain around street drinkers and a large numbers of off-licences.


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4.2.5 Crime

Overall crime in Waterloo & the South Bank is the highest in Lambeth and

is also one of London’s hotspots:

Figure 26. Waterloo & South Bank crime by hotspot

• Concentrations of crime are in the busiest areas: Waterloo Station and

at the Millennium Wheel.

• There are also problems around Waterloo Bridge where the warren of

pedestrian tunnels is both ‘criminogenically’ conducive to predatory

crimes such as robbery (mugging) but also ideal for antisocial

behaviour and drug dealing. This underlines that the physical impact of

those is not just about an unpleasant feeling environment, but one that

is also unsafe to pass through.

• While much of the crime around here

takes place throughout the day, the

main incident types after dark are theft

and anti-social behaviour, both of which

are particularly linked to the presence of

a tourist / visitor dominated night-time

economy.

• Despite the relatively low numbers of

alcohol-led premises (and a different

more mature user group to both

Lambeth’s and central London’s evening

and night-time economies), the area

does still have too much alcohol-related

violence.

• There are considerable issues with street

drinking in the area and suggestions are made later in this chapter

about how this might be addressed in addition to existing local

measures.


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4.2.6 Way forward Way Forward: Waterloo-South Bank Waterloo-South Bank contains world-class arts and cultural attractions and is Lambeth’s leading employment centre. But it is fragmented and far from an integrated destination after dark.

Yet it is an area of Lambeth with significant development potential and it is crucial that when this happens plans address both its fragmentary nature as well as providing a cohesive evening and, where appropriate, night-time offer. Our after dark proposals are as follows:

• Public realm improvement and integration is paramount. The updated Waterloo SPD (2013) addresses this but delivery is key, particularly around pedestrian navigability, lighting of crime hotspots, underpasses and alleyways as well as improved wayfinding.

• Ensure South Bank Centre ‘Phase 2’ provides a more innovative leisure-retail offer and some ‘late‘ venues that fit with the overall character of the area.

• Protect and enhance Lower Marsh – e.g. ideas for supporting a night market and later retail, while using planning to ensure there is a maximum % of A4 alcohol-led uses.

• Introduce an innovative ‘Off Sales Cumulative Impact Area’ to help address street drinking.

• Apply for Purple Flag – the area already hits many of the requirements.

• Capture and disseminate (Lambeth and London-wide) the best practice ‘mediation’ scheme facilitated by the BID. It has meant residents and NTE firms solve problems before review.

These interventions are fully set out in the Next Steps: ‘Ideas into Action’ chapter.


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Despite some

wayfinding

difficulties around

the original South

Bank Centre, the

South Bank as a

whole has evolved

into ‘model’ place-

making - day and

night. Culture,

food, lighting,

activation and a

quality public

realm for social

interaction

provides paid and,

crucially, free

activities for a

huge diversity of

users. It is a

masterclass for

the rest of the

borough, London

and the UK.


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SECTION 4 The six town centres: Vauxhall


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4.3 Vauxhall: 21st Century Pleasure Gardens?

4.3.1 Background

There was little in Vauxhall or Foxhall (and previously Falke’s Hall after its

original owners) until the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens arrived. It was a

marshy area much like neighbouring Waterloo. As such it grew slowly in

an unplanned way and this runs through its history – a location that

serves London rather than as a place in its own right.

Vauxhall is some way off the leisure paradise that was found here

between the 17th and 19th centuries when the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens

were London’s premier evening destination for the wealthy (and those less

respectable looking to provide them with services!). Indeed, the pleasure

gardens, with their attractions ranging from hot air balloon rides to

acrobats; concerts to fireworks and all the exotic imports of the Empire,

has a claim to being the very first ‘night time economy destination’. It was

a place for which you paid to enter a world where the rules of everyday

life could be suspended.

Crucial to Vauxhall’s urban form and to understanding its night-time

economy and ‘town centre’ role is its subservience to ‘progress’. For

example, during the construction of Waterloo Station many of its streets

were demolished. German bombing in the Second World War and the

privileging of motor-vehicular transport by planners in the 20th century

stunted any sense of urban cohesion and much community identity

besides.

However, since the 1990s there have been signs of positive change. There

is a growing Portuguese community served by numerous Portuguese

restaurants and bars offering home-cooked food and drinks and a growing

Muslim community too. The area that fronts the Thames has become a

magnet for international investors and Vauxhall has the potential to

maintain a good mix of both the affluent and those living in the area’s

large quantities of social housing, if carefully managed. All of these people

could be users of the evening and night-time economy if it is developed in

a diverse and positive way, yet few of them currently see their doorstep as

a place to spend an evening.

Vauxhall has also become most famous for its gay leisure venues, with

around 10 gay-oriented pubs and nightclubs, mostly located under and

around the railway. As with many gay or mixed venues they are generally

free of violence with many a great night being enjoyed by their customers.

However, as the crime figures (see later) show, the highest density of

problems in Vauxhall is around these venues, where for some drug misuse

is a greater concern than alcohol, with several drug-related deaths

recorded over the last few years. The new BID – Vauxhall ONE - is

working with clubs to improve this situation in order to ensure the

sustainability of this area as London’s gay clubbing hub.

The future: the Mayor of London’s strategy for Vauxhall-Nine Elms-

Battersea sets out an ambitious vision for the whole area and incorporates

some ideas from the Vauxhall Area Draft SPD (June 2008). Lambeth’s


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Local Development Framework Core Strategy also says Vauxhall is “a place

of growth” and proposes 16,000 homes and up to 20,000 jobs. Uses are to

include retail, leisure and entertainment. There is to be a new town centre

focused around the transport interchange.

In principle these are exciting times, but there are also conflicts and

challenges to be faced. Crucially, the night time economy needs to be

developed into one that works in the evening for locals and office workers,

and which, later into the night, is an after dark destination that is distinct

and of quality, but which can sit harmoniously alongside the vast numbers

of new residents that are anticipated to arrive in Vauxhall over the next 20

years.

The Mayor’s Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea framework sets out a blueprint for

the future. However, it is crucial that subsequent delivery documents tackle

animating the public realm and identify what type of night-time economy is

appropriate for this area if it is to have a cohesive and vibrant after dark offer.

Vauxhall’s gay clubs are a major

draw for those looking for a big

night (and morning!) out. But how

will these super-late venues fit with

the proposals to create a more

cohesive Vauxhall ‘town centre’?


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4.3.2 Management, infrastructure and planning

BID: Vauxhall ONE

The BID has been a crucial step in recognising that Vauxhall is a changing

destination and one that needs a business and strategic voice. The BID

will provide street ambassadors and the necessary marketing, but also

must establish itself as a voice for an area that has often been speechless.

This is particularly important in the coming years, as the area becomes

London’s largest development site.

Throughout this time, it is crucial that the BID doesn’t just concentrate on

the ‘housekeeping’ tasks (its wardens are a great start) but as it gets its

feet under the table, it starts to influence policy. While there may be

tensions between club operator members and residents, the two must

work closely together to ensure that development, when it comes, works

around the clock and is on a properly humane, street level scale.

As the area grows it must do so as a real place not simply as a replication

of the well-mannered but rather bland St George’s Wharf. Without such

local agitation and lobbying by the BID and residents of the council to

remain ambitious and strong with developers, it is easy to see VNEB

simply become a facsimile of Canary Wharf, Central St Giles or other

developments where ‘placemaking’ has been an afterthought rather than

these site’s rasion d’être.

VNEB Opportunity Area Planning Framework

“[The Opportunity Area] is the largest remaining development opportunity

within the Central Activity Zone [CAZ] and is vitally important in terms of

strengthening London’s CAZ and World City status, providing development

capacity for a range of high value uses including the financial and business

sector, institutions, communications, retail, tourism, culture and

entertainment.”

Mayor of London et al (2012) The Opportunity Area Planning Framework for the Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea

The Opportunity Area Planning Framework for the Vauxhall, Nine Elms and

Battersea (VNEB) is one of the city’s most ambitious and it presents a

robust technical analysis of the spatial, transport and housing and

commercial potential of the area. Yet, unfortunately there are no

references to the night-time economy or any notable analysis and insight

into the more obvious probably land uses such as leisure and

entertainment. Likewise, culture is only mentioned once and tourism

twice. Lighting is mentioned twice.

While masterplans and spatial frameworks are necessarily high level, they

have a huge influence over how a place subsequently feels on the ground,

who uses a place, how they use it and when. To fill this missing element a

much more in-depth analysis, vision and ‘activation plan’ is required for

the area. This should address the ‘hourly transition’, animation, user

profiles, and propose how a rich mix will be achieved.


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For example, from an after dark perspective, there are plans for 6,000

sqm of retail, but will there be opportunities for evening shopping, beyond

convenience food?

There is the welcome riverside park (as part of the “Missing Link”

competition run by Vauxhall ONE). Yet in the strategy there do not appear

to be further other multifunction public spaces for local happenings such

as markets, concerts, outdoor theatre / cinema and community events. It

is these interventions that make the difference between otherwise empty,

(albeit high quality) public realms and real places.

At present there are very few locales in London where this type of activity

takes place. More London at Tower Bridge, with its ‘Scoop’ open air

amphitheatre showing films and theatre with events staged on

neighbouring Potters Fields, is a useful if only partially successful example

of how such riverside might be animated throughout the day. VNEB has

the potential to be much more exciting and dynamic than this, but

Lambeth and Wandsworth must take a lead to make this happen.

Crucial too is that Community Infrastructure Levy and S106 monies are

not consumed simply for physical (particularly transport) infrastructure

with little left for creating a unique destination through more modest and

creative urban realm projects and creative interventions.

The OAPF is an excellent technical framework, but needs further detailing

if it is to create a place with a real heart; a real ‘place’.

Blue Fin on Southwark Street (top left) by architects Allies & Morrison and

Central St Giles (top right - Renzo Piano) are fine architecture. But the

designs failed to create vibrant places after dark. A better example for

Lambeth and Wandsworth to draw from for VNEB is Duke of York Square

in Chelsea, which has a rich mix of galleries, later retail, quality eating,

regular events and enticing public space.


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4.3.3 Economics

Despite the rather hidden nature of much of Vauxhall’s evening and night-

time economy, it has grown quickly, albeit from a relatively small base.

Figure 27. Vauxhall night-time economy employ and turnover

2011 (exc *) Drink Food Ents NTE Firms 36 76 8 120 Employment 239 82 707 998 Turnover (% of borough) 4.6% 3.5% 5.8% 5.0% Turnover (£) £43m Turnover (£) *2001 £62m

Its turnover was £62m in 2011, up from £43m in 2001. Whilst this is one

of the largest percentage increases of the borough’s six centres, it has

scarcely more NTE employment than Brixton and c40% of Waterloo.

There were 120 core night-time economy firms in Vauxhall employing 998

people in 2011. This is nearly 8% of the total employment of Vauxhall’s

12,687 jobs, and 5% of total borough night-time economy turnover.

So the context is an area that is increasingly attractive for night-time

economy investment, but whilst zoned for growth it remains weak in food

establishments and entertainment activities.

4.3.4 Spatial analysis

Below is the GOAD analysis of Vauxhall (see plan overleaf), which shows

the current night-time economy land use breakdown.

Figure 28. Vauxhall evening and night-time land use6

Might-time economy venues No % Land Use Traditional pubs 5 18 A4

Food-led bars, café bars & branded pubs 6 21 A4

Nightclubs & late venues for under 25s 3 11 Sui Generis

Family/global restaurants, cafes/coffee 7 25 A3

Fine dining - - A3


Cinema, theatre, concert & dance - - D2

Live performance: pop music & comedy - - D2

Later ed, culture & community venues 2 7 D1

Late-opening shops & markets ? - A1


Amusements, bingo & casinos - - Sui Generis

Betting shops 1 3.5 A2

Total 28

There is more to Vauxhall than meets the eye. Analysis of the leisure

economy at street level (see GOAD plan), shows only 28 night-time

economy premises, mostly in the railway arches and on Kennington Lane.

But TBR’s analysis shows that there are 120 evening and night-time

6 NB. The NightMix data for each town differs to GOAD, because it also includes the town’s hinterland and here we find firms such as community pubs, corner takeawasy. NightMix also includes firms abover ground level and head offices of NTE firms which may not be apparent simply by walking down a high street. Therefore NightMix figures are always larger than the ‘high street’ GOAD.


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economy firms within the wider Vauxhall area, albeit many of these are

pubs, cafes and social clubs that are on estates or tucked away from the

main strips of activity.

Overall, the GOAD shows 67 units in Vauxhall town centre with the night-

time economy making up 42% of this. This shows distinctly how

underdeveloped the location is as a town centre, as a destination and also

as a service provider for local residents and workers. Yet despite this a

small number of venues, particularly the larger nightclubs, have a major

impact on the overall dynamic of the area.

As the area grows and a sense of a town centre and community evolves,

there should be consideration given to more entertainment, such as

cinema, community theatre, later opening galleries and performance

venues. For example, in Southwark-Waterloo, in areas away from the

river, there is a thriving theatre scene of smaller venues such as the

Southwark Playhouse, Waterloo East Theatre, the Menier Chocolate

Factory, the Union and the Unicorn), as well as the larger Globe, Old Vic,

New Vic and National of course.

There are good examples in London of a single major venue (new or

relocating) taking a step outside of the West End or Mayfair and making a

big difference to the perceptions of less high profile locations; catalysing

regeneration and positive change in the process. Examples include the

Alemeida theatre in Islington, the Gagosian Gallery / St Martins College of

Art / the Guardian in Kings Cross and Zandra Rhodes’ Fashion and Textile

Museum on Bermondsey Street. Tate Modern and the Globe on Bankside

are a classic example.

Yet Vauxhall has not yet pulled in such an elusive venue; one that signals

intent to match these other locations for quality of cultural and leisure

offer.

Given Vauxhall’s excellent transport connections and opportunity sites,

there exists a major opportunity here to bring an anchor use to Vauxhall

as part of its regeneration: one that works well beyond the hours of 9 to

5.

Therefore, the council, and partners such as Vauxhall One BID, should

adopt a strategy on behalf of the area to proactively seek this flagship

anchor institution (which fits with the character and emerging strategy for

the area) as part of the overall redevelopment plans.

.


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Figure 29. Vauxhall land use GOAD


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Figure 30. Vauxhall development proposals from 2008 SPD

This figure shows Vauxhall’s potential as it moves southwest towards Nine

Elms Lane, but excluding the Battersea Power Station site. This gives the

scale of development and shows its strategic importance with Pimlico over

the river and views north towards Parliament.

It is effectively the southwest bookend to the development of London’s

South Bank. Indeed, it is possible to see Vauxhall (along with Waterloo) as

part of a single continuous and sinuous ‘South Bank Leisure and Cultural

After Dark Ribbon’ that flows, like the river itself, all the way to London

Bridge and Shad Thames. By creating an after dark destination that is

increasingly joined - from Battersea Power Station to the Shard - there is

an attraction in development which is studded with individual hubs of

character and identity, but which together are also greater than the sum

of the parts. Over time we believe this ‘Cultural Ribbon’ can offer a very

‘real’ and more interesting alternative to the West End.

The figure also shows how the railway viaduct slices through the Vauxhall,

bifurcating residential from waterfront. Plans in both the SPD and the

Mayor’s London Plan for the area are technically competent and on a

grand scale but lack detail after dark. A series of more St George’s Wharfs

without creating an individual location with a sense of community (in its

widest sense – not just residents) and street-level activity after 5pm would

miss the opportunity to catapult Vauxhall into both London’s top

destinations and great places to live in. The council, BID and GLA need to

do more to instil the plan with an ‘after dark individuality’.


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4.3.5 Demographics

Vauxhall is spread over a number of wards including those in north

Kennington and north Stockwell and, given the lack of identity associated

with Vauxhall, it is an excitingly diverse place (see figure below). The mix

of middle and higher rise social housing, combined with the remaining

Victorian terracing and luxury riverside apartments means there are now

considerably different requirements for any developing after dark offer.

Figure 31. Vauxhall socio-demographics

Ward

Social tenants

Single house sharers

Successful singles

Young profs & families

Multi-cultural 2nd gen

Older senior profs

Prince's Too small a population but probably social tenants with some successful singles and older professionals.

Oval Stockwell Larkhall (part) Vassal (part)

Vauxhall where it fronts the river is likely to be an area that is attractive

for those groups who geodemographic modellers call ‘urban prosperity’

and ’educated urbanites’, yet at present there is limited provision for the

residents of those towers such as St George’s. Likewise, on the other side

of the railway viaduct those gay residents who have moved into some of

the streets adjacent to the area’s gay clubs are also missing the daytime

facilities associated with successful gay-led communities such as Brighton

or Manchester e.g. café bars, gastropubs, delis etc. The plans need to

ensure that a diverse range of services is encouraged.

Vauxhall’s current gay businesses lack the more rounded offer of cafes, food,

retail that typifies LGBT-led neighbourhoods Brighton or (as above)

Manchester’s Canal Street. This could develop as part of a detailed plan for the

area that sits under the Opportunity Area Planning Framework.


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4.3.6 Crime

Vauxhall is a moderate location for crime; some way behind Waterloo,

Brixton and Clapham. However, as noted earlier, there are spikes of crime

around the clubs located in the arches and at the transport interchange.

The future development of the area will bring in many more visitors and

residents, and as a result it is likely to attract criminals practicing crimes

such as ‘theft from a person’ (dipping). These are currently at a relatively

low level because the area does not yet have a developed night-time

economy. Larger numbers of people will provide the opportunity, cover

and escape opportunities for such criminal activity.

Figure 32. Vauxhall crime mapping

However, the council (and neighbouring Wandsworth) and the police,

working with the BID and landowners, should consider planning the area

to create an environment that is as ‘criminogenically’ neutral as possible.

For example, through the dispersal of drink-led premises alcohol-related

violence can be minimised, while natural surveillance in public spaces and

effective lighting can help deter opportunistic and predatory criminals.

At a micro-scale, working with new night-time economy venues as they

are designed can help ensure that their layout and facilities (e.g. lighting,

CCTV, surveillance, access and egress) limit internal opportunities for

crime, avoiding the scaling up of problems that have accompanied the

growth of the night-time

economy in other

location such as

Clapham).


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4.3.7 Way forward

Way Forward: Vauxhall Despite Vauxhall’s struggles to exist amidst key traffic and railway corridors, yet the

scene is set for Vauxhall’s leisure past to be re-created and for the area once again

to be put on the map as a rounded Thames-side destination for locals and visitors.

The night-time (and particularly the evening) economy should be factored into the

development plans and play a strong part in place-shaping and diversifying the

appeal of the area. The following are our proposals:

• Commission a VNEB ‘activity plan’ (including a night-time economy implementation section) to sit under the Opportunity Framework. Linking with the Cultural Strategy (below) it should address street level activation, map out a range of innovative leisure-retail options and performance spaces. This will head off the creation of a bland upmarket housing and office development dominated by chain restaurants that is indistinguishable from other locations.

• The BID commissioned ‘Missing Link’ competition for the ribbon site at the heart of the VNEB area has drawn 100 entries. It is crucial that the design chosen properly understands Vauxhall’s after dark potential and provides an exciting, deliverable and unique concept.

• Lambeth must ensure VNEB’s emerging individual planning briefs, site specific masterplans and SPDs promote a balanced and self-regulating mix of A3 and A4 uses, avoiding hotspots.

• The Cultural Strategy, currently in train, should itself address the night-time economy and provides the infrastructure and guidelines for developers to build in culture (both high art and ‘publicly lived’ culture into the future fabric of VNEB).

• Consider extending the Off Sales Cumulative Impact Area suggested for Waterloo-South Bank.

These interventions are set out fully in the Next Steps: ‘Ideas into Action’ chapter.


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SECTION 4 The six town centres:

Brixton


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4.4 Brixton: After dark rennaisance

4.4.1 Background

Topographically Brixton sits on top of the first hill south out of central

London, directly south from Vauxhall and before Streatham. As such it has

first-rate rail, tube and bus connections. This is one of its greatest assets.

After the Vauxhall Bridge opened at the start of the 19th century this rural

backwater became a desirable middle class suburb and over time this has

broadened to be a much more diverse town with a mixed working class

and the long established Afro-Caribbean community. It is increasingly

attracting a range of residents, from African migrants to artists and

bohemians. This bodes well for its economic and cultural future.

Brixton has had strong links to the night-time economy throughout its

history, initially with Electric Avenue becoming London’s first electrically lit

street allowing people to enjoy the area’s attractions after dark. In the

interwar years Brixton became one of London’s major shopping

destinations, its retail offer complimented by cinemas, a theatre and pubs.

Today Brixton still has major after dark attractors: the O2, Ritzy cinema,

the leisure centre, the famous street market (open until 7/8pm) and the

newly re-vamped Brixton Village Market. Restaurants, bars and nightclubs

support these core destinations. However, while crime and drug misuse in

the town centre have been tackled by the police and partners, levels are

still high – the second highest in the borough after Waterloo.

Brixton has long been a distinctive centre, featuring a vibrant local culture

in its shops, restaurants, markets, music and street life. This is

increasingly attractive to visitors, who come to enjoy the attractions and

ambience. Yet despite major change and improvement Brixton has not

always enjoyed a positive external image. And, while it remains a little

edgy, most people that have yet to visit here would probably be surprised

and impressed by what is now on offer – but getting them here first is

critical.

An ambitious masterplan for Brixton was prepared for the Council in 2009,

which envisaged a large amount of redevelopment. It is advisory, has no

official status and has inevitably been overtaken by events. Currently the

policy focus is on incremental development and partnership. Proposals for

a Business Improvement District are being developed. The Council intends

to submit the centre for Purple Flag accreditation for its night-time

economy having undertaken considerable preparatory work on its bid.


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4.4.2 Policy, management and infrastructure

A BID for Brixton

The development of a BID in Brixton has been some time in the making.

Brixton, in our experience of town centres across the UK, not just after

dark but throughout the day, is probably one of the ten centres that would

most benefit from a BID: it would give it the ‘rudder’ it really needs.

Any BID must of course first meet its members' requirements; our view is

that Brixton BID also needs to deliver quick wins around cleansing and

visual appearance. It needs to become a strong voice for lobbying public

sector partners for infrastructure improvements.

There is also a role for it to market the incredible diversity of the area by

segmenting the current user groups and identifying who is missing. For

example, the Brixton Village scene is popular with ‘hipsters’, but there are

many others who would enjoy this yet are probably put off by Brixton’s

historic (and generally unfair) image. Once in Brixton, most visitors

enjoying a joined up offer of cinema, craft beer and handmade pizza

would have any negative perceptions changed forever.

The BID should also court private sector investors. For example, what the

town centre would benefit hugely from is a multiuse arts venue, serving

both the local community and attracting visitors. Comedy, theatre and

performance, packaged along the lines of Brighton’s Komedia (but in a

distinctly Brixtonian way) would make a real impact on the perception of

the area, both from within and from outside.

In terms of supporting the implementation of a BID further, the possibility

of a Late Night Levy or Early Morning Restriction Order could provide the

‘stick’ that makes the BID an attractive 'carrot'. There is no doubt that the

evidence of excess crime after dark exists to support the introduction of a

LNL / EMRO in Brixton. But surely any late night businesses would rather

pay a small additional fee towards marketing Brixton, cleaning it up,

introducing wardens or similar, than pay towards the existing police and

council cleansing costs?

The fantastic redeveloped Windrush Square is one of South London’s most

exciting public spaces because it is at the heart of Brixton. It has already held

some events, but more could be done to allow the community to manage and

promote it, generating funding for its ongoing maintenance and to support

local events.


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Town Centre Management

Linked to the BID is the importance of maintaining a town centre

management function despite a tough financial climate. The presence of

such a function, which stitches together the public and the private and

allows a key point of contact, is essential. Research shows clearly that

town centre management (done well) enhances the success of town

centres on footfall, vacancy rate and user satisfaction metrics.

Purple Flag

The ATCM itself has been involved helping appraise Brixton of its chances

of meeting the Purple Flag criteria. There are a number of challenges

remaining, including the relatively high levels of overall crime and litter

that is sometimes found. However, the area is making real strides and it

must continue to pursue Purple Flag as its eventual award will mark a

clear sign that Brixton has become a genuine pan-London destination,

with all the benefits for the community that brings, e.g. jobs, pride a

sense of place.

Brixton has the best reputation for live music venues outside of central

London, with the O2 regularly named the UK’s best live music venue and pubs

such as Dogstar and Hootenanny putting on cutting edge music for a local and

London-wide crowd.

The council and BID once established should encourage this reputation

further.


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4.4.3 Economics

As the figure below shows, Brixton has huge potential, but is severely

underperforming given it could be South London’s major evening and

night-time destination.

Figure 33. Brixton night-time economy employment and turnover

2011 Drink Food Ents NTE Firms 34 126 17 177 Employment 244 474 158 876 Turnover (% of borough) 11.6% 9.4% 8.5% 9.5% Turnover (£) £48m Turnover (£) *2001 £50m

Brixton’s turnover in night-time economy core firms has fallen in the last

ten years (the only town in the study to have done so). While it had

improved pre-recession, the financial crisis and its impact has pushed

Brixton further back. This suggests structural weaknesses in its firm base.

Yet there are 177 night-time economy firms in Brixton – more than any of

the other centres including Waterloo. night-time economy employment

was 876, more than Streatham and West Norwood/Tulse Hill, but less

than the rest. This is because of the relatively small average firm size of

only 4.5 employees – about half that of Clapham. Night-time economy

employment is almost 5.5% of total Brixton employment of 14,847.

Pizza joint Franco Manca (above) and tapas restaurant Seven (below) located

in Brixton Village are at the the vanguard of a new type of accessibly priced

authentic quality food that Brixton has been missing until recently.


117

Brixton has 126 food establishments; the same as Waterloo-South Bank

and far ahead of the other town centres. A surprisingly small number are

takeaways, but the rest (118) are restaurants, particularly cafes, and

these are mostly independently owned. However despite this large

number of firms, only West Norwood/Tulse Hill has less food sales than

Brixton, whilst Waterloo-South Bank is more than three times higher.

Brixton’s real strength is entertainment, with 17 firms including the O2,

the Ritzy cinema and the leisure centre. It also has a vibrant if volatile club

scene.

The challenge for Brixton is to develop a stronger, more outward looking

after dark offer, with more robust businesses, while not losing too many of

its distinct locally facing venues. By doing this it will better serve the

changing population, while enhancing its growing reputation for its

burgeoning food scene’. As a result Brixton will build a more sustainable

night-time economy that creates more and better local jobs.

Brixton has a surprisingly good post-5pm retail offer, the only one in the

borough, with Morley’s department store open late most days of the week, as

is H&M. The famous market, which is also open late, brings a real sense of

identity and uniqueness to the town after 5pm.


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This analysis uses GOAD data (overleaf) to show the current night-time

economy mix in order to understand the wider land use balance in the

town centre.

Figure 34. Brixton evening and night-time land use7

Night-time economy venues No % Land Use Traditional pubs 4 1.5 A4 Food-led bars, café bars & food pubs 12 4 A4 Nightclubs & late venues for under 25s 6 2 Sui Generis Family/global restaurants, cafe/coffee bars 38 13 A3 Fine dining 3 1 A3 Fast food take-aways 18 6 A5 Cinema, theatre, concert & dance 3 1 D2 Live performance: music & comedy 1 0.5 D2 Late-opening museum, art gallery, library, education & community venues 1 0.5 D1

Late-opening shops & markets 200* 68 A1 Sports, leisure & fitness venues 2 0.5 D2 Amusements, bingo & casinos - - Sui Generis Betting shops 6 2 A2 Total 294

7 NB. The NightMix data for each town differs to GOAD, because it also includes the town’s hinterland and here we find firms such as community pubs, corner takeawasy. NightMix also includes firms abover ground level and head offices of NTE firms which may not be apparent simply by walking down a high street. Therefore the NightMix figures are always larger than the ‘high street’ GOAD.

The GOAD shows 638 town centre units in Brixton. The night-time

economy proportion is 46%. This is high for a town centre, reflecting

Brixton’s after dark culture.

The figure reinforces the NightMix analysis of a large number of the

smaller venues such as cafes and coffee bars as well as takeaways.

Positively, there are a huge number of later opening shops, which tend to

be independent and therefore small, although there are larger chains, e.g.

H&M and the anchor department store Morley’s, which opens till at least

7pm on six nights of the week.

While the area is a hub for entertainment, there is a lack of performance

and theatre. This is something the area and its emerging BID could build

upon as its community demographic and visitor catchment changes. It is

also interesting that there are few traditional pubs yet with the real ale

and food revival, this is an area that Brixton may well capitalise on. A start

has been made by venues such as Craft, the specialist beer bar.

The change in food offer is clearly represented in these figures, with

restaurants like Seven, Franco Manca and Honest Burgers just a few of the

15 café and restaurant units in Brixton Village creating a ‘foodie’ culture

that Brixton had until recently lacked.


119

Figure 35. Brixton land use GOAD


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4.4.5 Demographics

Brixton is a hugely diverse place that is changing rapidly and the after

dark offer is starting to catch up.

Figure 36. Brixton’s socio-demographics

Ward

Social tenants Single

house sharers

Successful singles



Older senior profs

Brixton Hill

Coldharbour

Ferndale

Herne Hill

Tulse Hill

Brixton has always had a good range of Caribbean restaurants and

takeaways serving the local Afro-Caribbean community, as well as those

kinds of food that seem to go down well with these residents, such as

Thai, Indonesian and Malaysian (the Satay Bar on Coldharbour Road is still

jumping at 1am!).

However, until the opening of Brixton Village, there was a limited offer for

some of the other communities such as those who live in Herne Hill and

Ferndale ward (bordering Clapham), who were more likely to look to

Clapham or Central London for food experiences.

Brixton now has a good range of those kinds of restaurants that are likely

to attract theses residents although with considerable room to grow

further. There is no doubt that given Brixton’s strategic proximity to major

populations in south London, as well as its accessibility from central and

north London gives it the opportunity to become south London’s most

prominent food destination, perhaps even challenging the Borough-

Bermondsey triangle, which is a bit more upmarket.

There is the perfect possibility of creating a destination where cinema, live

music, theatre and performance can fit alongside quality drinks-led outlets

and high quality but affordable food that fits Brixton’s unusual combination

of being both laid back, but also sometimes a little edgy.

What would damage such a fruitful future, other than the occasional

Nando’s or Pizza Express, is the proliferation of chain restaurants.


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4.4.6 Crime

The incidence of recorded crime in Brixton varies, depending on events.

Hotspots include the junction of Brixton Road and Coldharbour Lane, the

station and the O2 Academy. There is considerable ASB at these hotspots,

theft and a real challenge around robbery.

Figure 37. Brixton crime by hotspot

Brixton is not an epicentre for alcohol-related crime, unlike Clapham

(albeit there are still notable incident levels). But rather there are relatively

high numbers of predatory criminals, particularly at night, which can

commit quite serious offences, often on visitors.

There are health impacts too. It is one of the higher centres in Lambeth

for alcohol-related

ambulance pick-

ups, with principal

locations being

north and south of

the centre close to

the clusters of

licensed premises.


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4.4.7 Way forward Way Forward: Brixton The role of Brixton has changed and is no longer just a local centre. It is now a visitor destination too. If it can balance these two roles and retain its distinctiveness it can do well. A more positive external image and a greater inflow of external spend and investment can help to raise the value of local jobs. But this requires a new vision…

• The creation of a ‘place plan’ enabled by Lambeth that brings together residents, voluntary groups, businesses, landowners and public agencies. This would effectively update the existing masterplan and set a direction of travel for the town centre and its neighbourhoods over the next ten years.

• A night-time management plan to address issues identified here and in the Brixton Purple Flag Development Programme (ATCM 2011), including visible policing, more robust enforcement, street pastors/wardens, triage, lighting, signage, NTE taxi rank / marshalling etc.

• Consider stronger controls for takeaways (by using A5 planning segemtaiton) and innovative use of a takeaway only cumulative impact polcy) to prevent an explosion of nuisance issues.

• Retain Brixton’s town centre management function. Without it the town would be rudderless.

• Continue supporting the development of the BID – it is crucial as a vehicle to lead on business development and marketing the town and its vibrant after dark offer in particular.

• Allow time for the BID to address NTE crime problems before introducing LNL/EMRO – these can be the ‘stick’ if required to increase support from businesses wavering about a BID.

• Aim for Purple Flag in three years as recognition for changing the dynamic of the town.

• Make more of Windrush Sq in animating the town after dark, e.g. more events and festivals.

These interventions are set out fully in the chapter: Next Steps: ‘Ideas into Action’.


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4.5 Streatham: A new kind of high street

SECTION 4 The six town centres: Streatham


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4.5.1 Background

Literally meaning ‘hamlet on the street’, Streatham is one of the London

Plan’s ‘major centres’. It is dominated by “the longest high street in

Europe”: the 2.5-mile Streatham High Road. At its (northern) Streatham

Hill end it is about five miles to central London and by the time it reaches

the southern Mitcham end it is over seven miles away. The road

encompasses a range of different users and communities as well as retail,

evening and night-time offers and is a place experiencing notable change.

Because of its function since Roman times of connecting London with the

south coast, Streatham is classic ‘ribbon’ development. From the days of

the horse and cart its character has been dominated by the flow of traffic,

which, despite carriageway improvements, is still frequently congested.

During the 19th century Streatham developed from hamlet into a desirable

rural location. It was increasingly connected to London by infill

development facilitated by the building of extensive rail lines that quickly

made it one of South London’s commuter hotspots.

During the first half of the 20th century Streatham gained a reputation as

an entertainment hub, particularly for working people during the evening

and at weekends, with everything from film and theatre to late night

dancing. At one point Streatham had a major theatre, three cinemas, the

Locarno ballroom and, later in the 20th century, the Streatham Ice Rink

(nearly all of these are now closed).

Streatham’s historic two mile high road is peppered with former entertainment

‘battleship’ sites that are in need of a new role.


125

While it was an exaggeration when some people called Streatham ‘the

West End of South London’, it was certainly a major London leisure

destination, ahead of Brixton, Clapham, Bromley, Kingston or Croydon.

In the 1950s and 60s Streatham also grew a reputation for retail, with

many new shops, including full-scale department stores, opening to serve

this growing part of London. Streatham was home to the UK’s first

supermarket and, later, the first Waitrose, both of which opened in the

1950s.

So what went wrong?

In short, the world changed. The High Road, studded with its ‘battleship’

entertainment venues and retail stores, was a monolith in an increasingly

nuanced and innovative market place. As a result the fabric hollowed out

as entertainment and retail habits morphed, particularly in the 1980s. The

West End became more aspirational and easier to access, while

‘convenient’ car-borne leisure-retail came to challenge high streets (at

least until the ‘town centres first’ polices of the last 20 years gave some

respite).

With coming of Internet retail this respite has been short lived.

Despite the large ‘holes’ (opportunity sites) in Streatham High Road (top right),

there is some strong retail.

The Odeon remains hugely popular with a diverse range of users. Its small

public space to the fore is a genuinely pleasant addition to what is often a

rather harsh public realm.


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This left many vacant units along its full length and in 2002 Streatham

High Road was voted "worst street in Britain" in a poll for the Commission

for Architecture and the Built Environment and the Radio 4 Today

programme. In many senses this was unfair but local people interviewed

identified the hostile traffic dominated environment, the lack of a walkable

public realm and poor public spaces as its downfall.

However, green shoots of recovery have been catalysed by a number of

environmental improvements since 2003 when Streatham Green was re-

landscaped and new lighting and paving was installed on the high road

between the Odeon Cinema and St Leonard's Church. This has been

further improved recently in a joint project between Lambeth and

Transport for London to enhance streetscape between Streatham Station

and as far north as the Odeon. This needs to continue in future when the

there is more money for infrastructure available. The Streatham Hub is the

town’s major regeneration project and will offer a huge improvement to

the southern end of the High Road.

In the meantime, a changing community towards younger professional

families (see ‘Demographics’ below) has seen a number of new and

interesting venues emerge. These include the Hideaway jazz and comedy

club, restaurants and bars such as Ilili and Bar 61 and quality retailers

such as the Thomson Deli adjacent to Streatham Rail Station. It is these

that point the way forward to creating a sustainable and diverse after dark

offer for Streatham.

Streatham has a clutch of new bars and restaurants signalling a more

aspirational direction, which is complimented by chains such as Nando’s and

Pizza Express.


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There has been little coherent development or planned expansion of the

evening and night-time economy in Streatham. What has happened has

taken place in a fairly ad hoc way. This is certainly positive with operators

seeing the potential for change here.

InStreatham BID

The main urban management tool planned for the town is a business

improvement district called ‘In Streatham’. It was voted in successfully and

will begin operation later in 2013.

The BID is not only essential to the night-time economy, but to the

success of Streatham and the High Road as a whole, particularly in an era

where councils can no longer access the same finances for discretionary

projects around marketing, public realm investment and ‘out of hours’

cleansing.

The BID will have an income of around £230k a year. It shows in its

prospectus that it understands that the after dark offer is crucial, but it is

vital that this is delivered on when the BID is fully operational. All too

often in BIDs the night-time economy is left behind and retail gets a

disproportionate share of BID resources and investment. Yet given the

night-time economy contributes almost half of the equivalent figure for

retail sector sales and employment nationally, the balance of spend in

Streatham should roughly reflect the balance between daytime and night-

time activities. As we have shown above, the town’s night-time economy

has further room to grow too, whereas retail will almost certainly never

again hit its heady 20th century heights.

The BID, working with a broad range of stakeholders, must become the

voice for the night-time economy and one of its proposed aims is to work

towards Purple Flag status, which would be a fine achievement. Purple

Flag would not just recognise that the town is doing a lot right after dark

but can be used as a promotional and marketing tool.

Other proposed BID initiatives include reducing crime and ASB, controlled

drinking zones, improving shop (and hopefully night-time economy venue)

fronts, as well as enhancing the public realm and addressing signage and

legibility. These will all be welcome additions not just for the daytime but

around the clock.

Improving toilets is also a key BID pledge, though at present Streatham

doesn’t need them to be open much later than 6 or 7pm as there isn’t a

public urination problem, but any investment should be capable of

extension as the town grows its night-time economy.

Another area that the BID may seek to develop is later night retail.

Perhaps initially an end of month event. It is not enough to just open

shops late however. There would need to be discounts linked to

restaurants and the cinema, street animation and activities for families.


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The Streatham Hub

The Streatham Hub development is a large-scale public private sector

partnership development project Streatham High Road just south of

Streatham Railway Station. Due to open in November 2013, it will have a

major impact on Streatham town centre.

The development will include a new leisure centre with swimming pool

and gym and 100-seat ice rink to replace the former Streatham Ice Rink. A

large format supermarket, 250 new homes, bus interchange and improved

public realm are also key to this new High Road anchor.

The hub will reinstall the family friendly 5 to 8pm facilities lost when the

ice rink closed and which appealed to a broad range of people. Likewise,

although there is a gym nearby, the leisure centre will ensure people are

visiting and animating the street, using all of its facilities from 6am to

11pm.

There is some public space being created as part of the hub between the

new Tesco and the United Reform Church. It is worth considering now

where the designs can be adapted to include appropriate power outlets to

allow for small events and festivals, like craft markets, particularly in the

evening.

The Streatham Hub, while located at the South of the High Road, will feature

the relocated ice rink and swimming pool as well as new open space that could

be used for a diverse range of uses both during the day and after dark.


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4.5.3 Economics

As the figure below shows, despite tough times, Streatham has

maintained some evening and night-time economy growth, particularly

given that it has not ‘benefited’ like nearby Clapham from alcohol sales.

Figure 38. Streatham’s NTE employment and turnover

2011 Drink Food Ents Total Firms 19 99 4 122 Employment 154 463 73 690 Turnover (% of borough night-time economy) 7.3% 4.2% 9.5% 7.8% Turnover (£) 2011 £39m Turnover (£) 2001 £32m

Overall, core night-time economy turnover between 2001 and 2011 grew

by almost 20%, outperforming Lambeth’s general economy. And while the

number of firms is less than that found in say Brixton or Waterloo-

Southbank, it has more food-based business than Clapham (99 vs. 95),

albeit many of these have a strong link to the daytime economy.

Generally firms are small: the 690 jobs are spread across 122 employers,

which makes them about half the size of those in the north of the

borough. However, the core night-time economy still represents 8% of all

jobs available in Streatham. This is about 50% more than neighbouring

Tulse Hill-West Norwood. This is still small relative to Waterloo and South

Bank’s 2,300 jobs.

While there is nothing wrong with small firms, the lack of larger venues

does suggest that there may be some names which local people could use

that might be added to the Streatham night-time mix without damaging

the unqiue offer of the smaller businesses. Nando’s and Pizza Express are

a start, but a pan-Asian restaurant would fit, as would an Italian that goes

beyond pizza.

While there are very few firms providing entertainment, the 9.5% is twice

that of Clapham and may be a cast back to the remains of Streatham’s

historic position in this sub sector, and suggests the importance of the

Odeon. The ice rink (which closed in 2011, to reopen in 2013) is still

included in these figures, so it is easy to see how the leisure sector is a

key part of the broader local economy.

Employment in this sector will be improved further, both day and evening,

by the arrival of the leisure centre. This is because we know night-time

economy leisure jobs are so frequently occupied by locals, particularly in

Lambeth. This will surely have many positive effects for the local

community.

The combination of a few nascent firms with a more innovative after dark

offer means Streatham is the reverse of Clapham in many ways. It actually

needs a few more drink-led or at least café-bar type operations as well as

more restaurants. It is no surprise that with its large catchment and easy

access from outside Streatham, as well large numbers of residents who

live locally in the streets off the High Road itself, that the area has huge

potential to reconfigure itself as a successful ‘morning to midnight’ hub.


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This analysis uses GOAD data to show the current High Road night-time

economy mix in order to help understand the wider land use balance in

the town ‘centre’.

Figure 39. Streatham High Road’s evening & night-time land use8

Night-time economy venues No % Land Use

Traditional pubs 6 6 A4

Café bars & branded food pubs 6 6 A4

Nightclubs & late under 25s venues 1 1 Sui Generis

Family & global cuisine, cafes, coffee bars 50 47 A3

Fine dining 0 0 A3



Performance, popular music & comedy 1 1 D2

Late-opening cultural & community venues

4 4 D1





Total 107

8 NB. The NightMix data for each town differs to GOAD, because it also includes the town’s hinterland and here we find firms such as community pubs, corner takeawasy. NightMix also includes firms abover ground level and head offices of NTE firms which may not be apparent simply by walking down a high street. Therefore the NightMix figures are always larger than the ‘high street’ only GOAD.

Streatham High Road (rather than Streatham as a whole) has the largest

number of night-time economy units in Lambeth with the exception

Brixton town centre and Waterloo & South Bank when combined.

However, as the previous section shows, number of units alone does not

mean the most sustainable and effective job creating after dark economy.

Yet Streatham’s night-time economy venues as a proportion of the overall

High Road units shows it has the borough’s lowest level. This clear

evidence supports the economic analysis finding above that the town is

not yet at ‘after dark capacity’.

Streatham has the highest proportion of family restaurants and global

cuisine in Lambeth (47%) reflecting its diverse nature. It also has the

second highest proportion of take-aways in the borough at 21% of night-

time economy units.

Of Streatham’s proud entertainment heritage, the Odeon cinema remains

and there is of course Beacon Bingo, but former large nightclubs near

Streatham Hill station are now closed. The old ABC cinema is now a fitness

centre with a landmark restaurant opportunity waiting to let in its former

foyer.


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Brands are limited with Café Nero, Nando’s, Pizza Express, KFC, and

Wetherspoons being a few of the representatives. There is a good

selection of late-opening food stores.

Some new and interesting signs of investment in new businesses and

restructuring of the High Road is under way, albeit relatively slowly.

Essentially Streatham is a very long high street with its after dark

attractions spread out, although there are some clusters, except at:

1. Streatham Hill Station

2. Shrubbery Road/Streatham High Road

3. Junction with Gleneagle Road

These provide opportunities to use local planning to grow discernible and

distinct hubs (including the proposed Streatham Hub further south as a

fourth node) that will create a rhythm and some sense of continuing

identity along the road’s 2.5miles.

Streatham Hill Station is developing as a clearly identifiable new ‘place’ along

the high road. Here new delis (Thompson Deli above), bars and restaurants are

opening up and capturing the crowd returning from work around 7 till 10pm.

This kind of development, both here and at Shrubbery Road, as well as at the

junction with Gleneagle Road should be encouraged. It creates a sense of

progression through the High Road to break up some of the stretches that

suffer from a featureless continuation of fast food chicken premises and bland

retailers.


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Figure 40. Streatham’s land use GOAD


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4.5.5 Demographics

Streatham is historically a mixed community with both traditional working

class and middle class residents, and over the past few decades two-fifths

of the population is now non-white. Residents tend to be living either in

flats above the High Road and the larger gardened terraced and semi-

detached houses that adjoin the high road. The 2001 Census showed a

substantial increase to over 50,000 residents and this is likely to have

risen again in the 2011 Census when it’s published in detail.

The figure below uses Acorn classifications for all the towns in Lambeth.

Acorn divides households up into 61 social categories and those that have

numbers above a threshold are shown below.

Streatham socio-demographics Ward

Single house

sharers

Successful singles



Older senior profs

St Leonard's Streatham Hill Streatham South Streatham Wells

If we match the evening and night-time economy offer of Streatham

against local people, there is some mismatch.

For example, there has only recently been any development that generally

suits the ‘successful singles’ such as the Ilili North African restaurant,

Nando’s and Pizza Express. And, though there are a number of bistros and

a few wine bars, there is room for more of these if carefully managed.

Likewise, the opening of both Nando’s and particularly Pizza Express has

sated at least some of the appetite of young professional families, as does

the Odeon with its blockbuster showings and weekend kids films.

Those BME individuals and families in Streatham are mainly south Asian

(around a tenth) - often towards the south end of the High Road, and the

Afro-Caribbean (a fifth) who are more prominent at the northern end. In

terms of leisure patterns for these communities, our observations of the

town centre are that they are not hugely visible after dark, except for

some top-up shopping in the late opening food stores and visiting the

occasional Caribbean restaurant. Tooting is the natural hub for the south

Asian community. Crucially though, young people from all communities

mix at the cinema and this is one of Streatham’s great ‘community’

faculties.

The leisure centre and rebuilt ice rink are the key missing ingredient which

would bring together most of these communities. It will be a truly multi-

generational, multi-ethnic facility that will bridge communities and bring

out an even wider range of people to use Streatham after dark.


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4.5.6 Crime

Generally Streatham is a relatively safe location from an evening and

night-time economy perspective. This is reflective of its older and more

family oriented community and users and the low number of late-night

and / or alcohol-led venues. Streatham’s main challenge is ASB, drugs and

youth crime in and around housing estates.

However, as the following figures show, there are three concentrations of

incidents, both in terms of crime and disorder and ambulance call outs.

Firstly to the south around the intersection with Mitcham Lane, and

proximate to Streatham rail station where there are above average (for

Streatham) levels of robberies and thefts.

Here there are few alcohol-led venues and those that do exist are not

traditionally the type associated with violence, such as the popular

Hideaway jazz and comedy club. However, there are nine takeaways

located in the area and these are often violence flashpoints. This is a very

high density of A5 fast food use by any standards and planning policy

needs to ensure this does not proliferate.

Secondly, the Odeon Cinema can have ASB problems. Thirdly, there are

above average levels of paramedic call outs, even though violence is low,

near Streatham Hill Station.

Overall there is little that requires immediate attention here. The challenge

will be to make Streatham even safer while expanding its night time offer

and avoid becoming the ‘new Clapham’. Part of the challenge is also

making Streatham feel safer by public realm improvements, enhanced

street activity and marketing the after dark offer to change any negative

perceptions amongst residents who are currently non-users of the town in

the evening.

Figure 41. Streatham ambulance pick ups by hotspot


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Figure 42. Streatham crime by hotspot


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4.5.7 Way forward Way Forward: Streatham Streatham is at a critical moment in its history. Finding new uses for the large redundant entertainment buildings that pepper the High Road and attracting more (but not too many) quality bars, restaurants and late opening shops will change the feel of the town and create local jobs. But this requires a bold continuation of the improvements to the public realm and real drive from the new BID. Our specific proposals are:

• The creation of a ‘place plan’ enabled by Lambeth that brings together residents, voluntary groups, businesses, landowners and public agencies. This would set a direction of travel for the High Road and its neighbourhoods over the net ten years.

• The BID to lead on inward investment of new firms that are currently missing (day and night).

• BID to market the town to users who might not normally think of Streatham for an evening out.

• Consider stronger planning / licensing controls for takeaways to prevent further proliferation of these venues that bring very little value to the local economy but numerous problems.

• Retain the town centre management function. The role is different to that of the BID manager.

• Examine the possibility of putting power into the public space in Streatham Hub to allow small community events to take place.

• Aim for Purple Flag in three to five years as recognition of what will then be a more rounded evening and night out.

These interventions are set out fully in the chapter: Next Steps: ‘Ideas into Action’.


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SECTION 4 The six towns:

West Norwood-Tulse Hill


138

4.6 West Norwood & Tulse Hill: A little TLC

4.6.1 Background

West Norwood and Tulse Hill, while both small distinct town centres, are

essentially joined along a continuous north-south ribbon (Norwood Road),

which forks into Knights Hill and Norwood High Street at its southern end.

For this reason we have combined them here.

Tulse Hill is situated north of Norwood, bordering Brockwell, Streatham

and Dulwich, whilst West Norwood is the most southerly of Lambeth’s

towns, sitting just north of Gypsy Hill and Crystal Palace.

From the old English for Great North Wood, West Norwood is the only

one of the Norwoods to be in Lambeth (South Norwood and Upper

Norwood are mainly in Croydon). West Norwood also has the most distinct

town ‘centre’ of the Norwoods.

The physical heart of West Norwood is St Luke's church (which was

renovated in 2004). It sits on a raised triangle at the apex of Norwood

Road, which splits thereafter into Knights Hill and Norwood High Street

(which is actually less of a high street than Norwood Road itself).

West Norwood developed slowly in the 18th and early 19th centuries as a

genteel place, gaining fame for its cluster of recreational tea gardens that

attracted day-trippers from some distances.

West Norwood was not contiguous with London until comparatively

recently, but as with Clapham and Streatham, over time the railways

facilitated infill development, and in the second half of the 19th century

Norwood went from a village of large villas and workers cottages to the

terraced and the semi-detached housing that often remains today. The

best of these are part of conservation areas that mark out the quality of

much of the town’s built fabric.

There are some fine buildings in West Norwood, such as its Victorian fire

station (now home to the South London Theatre) and its Edwardian

successor - the present-day fire station. The former public library on

Knights Hill has become a community centre. Although with a rather cruel

irony this original library has had to step into temporarily to re-house the

new library after vandals damaged its more recent home.

West Norwood has not always been kind to its buildings or indeed its

evening economy. The Regal, A superb 1920s art deco cinema holding

2,010 filmgoers lasted only until 1964 in that capacity and then spent the

next 15 years as a Top Rank bingo hall. It was demolished in November

1981 and today Norwood’s B&Q sits on the site. Though great for DIY

enthusiasts who live nearby, in terms of high street coherence and quality

of town centre offer this has to be a site that offers future development

opportunities for urban living, public realm improvements and units for the

evening economy.


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Unfortunately, and with implications for today’s night-time economy,

Norwood High Street never developed into the town’s key parade as

originally planned. Instead most shops set up on Norwood Road between

York Hill and St Luke's Church. This (combined with difficult to cross

junctions) leaves the town centre rather disjointed.

Tulse Hill was until 1810 the possessor of only a single building, Tulse

Hill Farm, named after the original owners of the land. By the middle of

the 19th century Tulse Hill was connected by a ribbon of development to

Brixton, which it was by then connected to London.

Like much of South London it was originally comprised of large villas,

many of which have been lost and the land has been redeveloped at much

higher densities with considerable council housing since the 1930s.

Historically there has been little evening economy to really ‘get hold of’ in

Tulse Hill, except takeaways and a couple of pubs. However, recently

Bubbas upmarket Caribbean restaurant has opened, and the Portuguese

community that has grown in the area is served by both a later opening

shop and a couple of restaurants that are busy in the early evening.

In both towns the night-time economy is limited, with its only real mark of

distinction being the possession of the dubious title for ‘most takeaways in

the borough’ (see later).

There are a small number of

businesses that serve Portuguese

/ Brazilian drinks, meals and

products in Tulse Hill which have

added some diversity to the area.

They tend to be the busiest

venues in the early evening. The magnificent St Luke’s Church stands at the heart of West Norwood and

has real potential to become and even more iconic feature, particularly

after dark.


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Currently there has been little development or planned expansion of the

evening or night-time economy in West Norwood and Tulse Hill. What has

happened has done so in a fairly ad hoc way. In this way it is like

Streatham, but that area is perhaps five years ahead of West Norwood-

Tulse Hill in its development of new bars, food pubs, quirky restaurants

and music venues.

While these two towns do not need a radical action plan to address

problems (e.g. Clapham), nor a strategically significant masterplan to

address their role within the London context (e.g. Vauxhall or Waterloo),

they do need a bit more ‘after dark’ thought in order to help them realise

their potential as great community neighbourhoods, so that locals can

have more pride in saying they live in these areas. The most obvious areas

to address are as follows.

St Luke’s Church

St Luke’s Church is the Greek revivalist centrepiece of West Norwood. Not

just in terms of its architecture but also in its classic urban design setting,

perched as it is on a hill elevation with lines of sight up Norwood Road.

Its Memorial Gardens have been re-landscaped beautifully in recent times

and are now surrounded by new railings, which although they cut the

space off from the town, are of the very highest standard, and add a

handsome curtilage to the church. However, despite these improvements,

opportunities still exist to make much more of the church’s external space

and help it reach out even more to the community.

Curently its car park, home to the Norwood Feast monthly food market, is

in a poor state of repair. This space could be improved at relatively little

cost, not only for car parking, but

the church should think in multi-

use terms. Why not resurface it

but also put in external power

points allowing evening events

such as a craft market, small

concerts and school events to take

place here? The lack of external

power is often the main reason

why otherwise attractive public

spaces are not used more, both

day and evening.

In addition, given its prominent

position, the church desperately

needs lighting. This is absolutely

critical to West Norwood’s evening

economy. However, rather than simply choosing to light in a conventional

way with white light alone (which of course should be installed to provide

a classical setting), why not consider lighting that turns the building into

an artwork at night, something really innovative and which puts West

Norwood on the London map?

The West Norwood Feast food

festival is one of the town’s fantastic

attractions. Could it be done more

often at night, with entertainment –

a night market?


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The Library

Due to vandalism in early 2012, West Norwood’s library, an absolutely key

community focus given the limited other community facilities, was closed.

It needs a long-term solution. The council has temporarily moved the

library into the Old Library - the irony is not lost on local people, and while

this is better than nothing, it’s not a sustainable solution.

However, in the search for funds to reopen the building, the council and

community should consider how a new library (without duplicating the

functions the Old Library now performs as a community centre) could be

better used in the evening. Perhaps it could also as a meeting,

performance and even food and drink space. Is there a possibility of a

joint venture to put that much needed aspirational food-led venture into

the building at ground floor and extend upwards for the library?

The West Norwood Library: Not the most glamorous building, but one that is

crucial to the heart of the community and a place that could stay open later.

St Luke’s church has already been lit up for local events and proves a worthy

setting for community evening activities.


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Traffic planning

While traffic though Norwood and Tulse Hill is generally not as heavy as

that found in Brixton, Clapham or Streatham, there are a number of issues

which are important to change, not just for the evening and night time

phases of operation, but to make the area more hospitable, more of a

community high street throughout the day.

Firstly in the north, the junction where Tulse Hill meets Thurlow Park Road

and Norwood Road is one of the most hostile small-scale junctions in

south London. While the South Circular runs through here and this limits

what can be done, its current configuration destroys any sense of unity

and feels deeply unsafe to cross from the car showroom on Norwood Road

to the Tulse Hill Tavern. To do so requires crossing 6 lanes of diagonal

traffic. It is also amongst London’s most confusing and cluttered junctions

with over 40 pieces of signage and street furniture in a 30m radius.

Secondly, further south, the junction where Norwood Road divides into

Knights Hill and Norwood High Street also requires a substantial overhaul.

There are two reasons for this. Firstly the pedestrian and cycle experience

is confusing and as a result feels intimidating and unsafe. Secondly, by

reengineering and de-cluttering this area it would create a better setting

for the church and create a more cohesive feel for what may emerge over

time as ‘Norwood village’. In particular the forecourt outside the Tesco

Express is a considerable waste of space where something more

imaginative could be created that works both day and evening.

Road layouts in both Tulse Hill

(right / below) and, to a lesser

extent, West Norwood (bottom)

affect the quality of place of each

of these town centres. Tulse Hill in

particular would benefit from

substantial traffic mitigation, de-

cluttering so that the buildings

currently empty area attractive to

investors as well as creating a

safer place in which to live.


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Tulse Hill rail station

Overall, there is limited evening economy potential in Tulse Hill due to its

catchment, proximity to

Dulwich and ribbon-like

development. However,

at the station exit and

Station Rise there is an

opportunity. With Bubbas

now offering upmarket

Caribbean food, the

station café, the Railway

Tavern and the traditional

White Hart on the corner,

there is a cluster forming

here.

To stimulate this further,

in the longer term

extending the cobbled

parking bays across

Station Rise would make

on attractive

pedestrianised enclave away from the traffic soaked high street. This could

allow existing and potentially new premises to open out and create a

courtyard-like space with outside seating that could work through the

week for commuters and local residents at weekends.

West Norwood rail station

It is this area – around Knights Hill - that has the best chance of becoming

a hub for food and drink in Norwood. It could play a critical role in the

concept of a ‘West Norwood village’, something that can be envisaged but

remains an idea.

The area has the church, a sense of character from its Georgian and

Edwardian shop fronts and flats above; it has the passing trade of the

station and, shortly, the addition of the new Norwood Hall. This will house

the NHS conference and training centre, a cafe and, crucially, a swimming

pool. The area also has public facilities such as the library and community

centre and the theatre not too far away, all of which bring people to the

area. Currently the Norwood Hotel and the Horns Tavern are the only

drink-led establishments and food offer is dominated by takeaways, but

around here would be the ideal location for a food-led pub company such

as Antic or a similar to provide that catalytic aspirational offer.

With the right public realm, Station Rise is a

potential hidden jewel for Tulse Hill.

The Norwood Hotel is a

fine building in a key

location but which

currently has a

standard pub offer. A

more aspirational offer

in this location could

really help change the

whole feel of this end

of West Norwood.


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B&Q site

B&Q’s plans for their Norwood Road site are not known. However, the site

of the former Regal cinema, which backs onto a large estate of Lambeth

owned council housing, occupies a prime location in the town. The local

plan for West Norwood should consider how this might be better used in

the medium and long term. It is unlikely that the current limitations on the

store (an unusually small format for a DIY operation and with limited

parking) is ideal for its operators.

A new development of housing fronting Norwood Road, with outside

eating spaces at ground level would be a much more logical use of this

key site on the road and offer up some sense of cohesion and identity to

an otherwise chaotic thoroughfare. In particular, the town currently lacks

large format A3 uses that would fit a 100 to 120 cover restaurant such as

those sought out by Ask, Nando’s and Zizzi. And, while Knights Hill

provides excellent small opportunities, these larger formats will probably

need to be provided though new developments, such as the one

potentially offered by this site.

West Norwood would benefit from some of the multiple restaurants such as

Pizza Express or Nando’s that nearby Streatham possesses. While nobody

would wish to flood Norwood Road with chains, it is sufficiently weak that the

investment by these brands or the likes of Zizzi or GBK as part of a broader

place plan would help signal that outside investors are interested in Norwood.


145

4.6.3 Economics

As the figure below shows, West Norwood-Tulse Hill has not really made

any progress economically over the past ten years in its evening and

night-time economy. While turnover of firms and employment was a little

higher pre-recession, the fact that by 2011 it was the same as in 2001

shows how weak it is as a sector. Yet it still employs c450 people and

turns over £25m, which although a positive contribution to the local

economy is a downturn in real terms over 2001 to 2011.

Figure 43. West Norwood & Tulse Hill’s NTE employ and turnover

2011 Drink Food Ents NTE

Firms 22 88 2 112 Employment 100 310 52 462 Turnover (% of borough) 4.6% 3.5% 5.8% 5.0% Turnover (£) 2011 £25m Turnover (£) (£) 2001 £25m

Average business sizes are tiny at only 4 people per firm. This is partly

reflective of the large number of takeaways that make up a quarter of the

food offer in the area. A number of the other food offerings are also cafes

that close in the early evening and these inflate what seems to be quite a

high number of food outlets.

In reality (as the GOAD map later in this chapter shows), is really of a very

low quality. It is also worth noting that this number of food outlets is also

further inflated by above ground firms and those off the main high street

– the number of actual restaurants visible ‘on the high street’ is minimal.

Even more than Streatham, there is room for some more aspirational

restaurants, albeit not as many units or of such quality. Initially it may not

be the branded ones that invest – they might be reluctant currently given

it is an unproven location, so for the time being at least, this means there

are clear opportunities for local entrepreneurs to fill this gap. This could

even occur to the point that the local market for better food and drink

could be sewn up before the brands realise its potential.

At one point South London pub specialists Antic were developing 17-19

Knights Hill as ‘Knowles of Norwood’ beer parlour, but ultimately the unit

proved too small. They are still looking for locations in West Norwood and

it is this kind of operator that the town really needs to put it on the map

because currently there isn’t a single stand out restaurant or pub which

says ‘Norwood has arrived’; the kind of place that brings out those

professionals on a week night and the families on a Saturday or Sunday

lunchtime. These are the kind of people who are starting to look to the

area. If Antic (or a similar entrepreneur) finds the right venue, it will have

a hugely disproportionate effect on the attractiveness of the town to other

investors.

There are only two firms in the entertainment subsector and this is

reflective of the fact that there is no cinema, bingo or dedicated live music

venue. What the town does have is the South London Theatre Company,

which is the busiest amateur company in the UK and has a great

reputation, which exists well beyond the community.


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It is also worthy of note that West Norwood’s library, whose building is

now closed, has ‘temporarily’ reopened in the ‘Old Library’ opposite. This is

open most nights for community activity and is therefore a lynchpin of the

broader community evening offer.

While the overall catchment for both West Norwood and Tulse Hill is

comparatively local (more so even than Streatham) the area does have

the clientele (see Demographics below) to sustain a few more quality drink

operations and accessibly priced but imaginative restaurants.

Whilst London has a continuing appeal to businesses and tourists, we are

operating in a recessionary economy of the like that has not been seen in

this country for 70 years. As such any sensible ‘entrepreneur’ or corporate

investor would want to see the opportunity clearly in Norwood.

So while there are opportunities in Norwood, before seeking to capture

the possibilities perhaps there should be a more fine-grained

understanding of why the economy has generally gone backwards and if

this trend shows any signs of reversing.

Above: West Norwood has some great community facilities (e.g. South London

Theatre - top left). While a solution must be found for a permanent library, the

existing community space must be secured – it is critical for animating the

town centre, especially in the evening.

Below: Antic pub company run around 30 pubs across south London. They

have the Dogstar in Brixton and Pratts and Payne in Streatham, as well as

many in neighbouring boroughs. They had secured a site in West Norwood,

but it fell through. Their presence would signify the town is on the up.


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This analysis uses GOAD data (overleaf) to show the current night-time

mix in order to help understand the land use balance in the town centre.

Figure 44. West Norwood-Tulse Hill’s after dark land use9

Night-time economy venues No % Land Use

Traditional pubs 6 9 A4

Café bars & branded food pubs 2 3 A4

Nightclubs & late under 25s venues 1 1.5 Sui Generis

Family & global cuisine, cafes, coffee bars 22 34 A3

Fine dining 0 0 A3



Performance, popular music & comedy 0 0 D2

Late-opening arts & community venues 1 1.5 D1





Total 65

9 NB. The NightMix data for each town differs to GOAD, because it also includes the town’s hinterland and here we find firms such as community pubs, corner takeawasy. NightMix also includes firms abover ground level and head offices of NTE firms which may not be apparent simply by walking down a high street. Therefore the NightMix figures are always larger than the ‘high street’ GOAD.

There is a larger discrepancy here between the NightMix data (112 total

units) and the GOAD data (65) than other towns. And, while we are not

comparing ‘apples with apples’ here, it is clear that there is considerable

night-time economy activity away from the main drag that makes up the

other businesses found by our analysis.

In West Norwood there is a cluster of later opening shops, with

Cooperative, Tesco and Sainsbury’s all within a few metres of each other

and while this gives choice and animates the town after dark, albeit in a

rather samey and bland way.

What is utterly clear here is how dominant takeaways are relative all other

uses, yet how café-bars, gastropubs and fine dining are almost completely

missing from the area. While this is reflective of local tastes and socialising

practices (West Norwood is unlikely to ever support a Michelin starred

restaurant), it also suggests a mismatch given that there is reasonable

disposable income in this part of south London.

There are also a large number of betting shops. The occasional betting

office may be useful in animating town centres between 6pm and 10pm,

and they generally have smartly presented shop fronts, they should be

seen as a potential cause for concern given the issues of problem

gambling and low level crime and disorder that is associated with them. It

is important that the council and community keeps a careful eye on the

number of these and takes what action it can should they proliferate.


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Figure 45. West Norwood / Tulse Hill’s land use GOAD


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4.6.5 Demographics

West Norwood has an immediate walkable catchment of around 10,000

and Tulse Hill a slightly smaller one. And while there are at least another

30-40,000 residents within a mile or so of each town centre, they are

more likely to see other locations (Streatham, Dulwich, Crystal Palace and

Brixton) as attractive nights out than West Norwood-Tulse Hill at present.

There are a large number of migrants from across Europe in the area, in

particular Portuguese who have started a number of businesses locally.

This adds diversity and interest to the evening operation of Tulse Hill.

Examining Experian's ‘Acorn’ classifications for West Norwood it is less

affluent and ‘experience’ focused than other Lambeth locations.

Figure 46. West Norwood socio-demographics

Ward Single house sharers

Successful singles



Older senior profs

Gipsy Hill Knight's Hill Thurlow Park

Therefore, if we match the evening and night-time economy offer of West

Norwood against local people, we can see at present it generally fits. The

only area that appears to be underrepresented is for ‘young professionals

and families’ and ‘single house sharers’ in Thurlow Park. This is the more

affluent part of the catchment bordering Dulwich with its more upmarket

terraced and dethatched properties. It is most likely that these people will

gravitate to Dulwich.

Whilst Tulse Hill is unlikely to compete with Dulwich’s offer, an improved

physical realm and pub /café-bar offer around Tulse Hill station (see later)

could appeal to these people for whom Tulse Hill is convenient and who

are looking for a casual meal or after work drink.

West Norwood (Above) & Tulse Hill has the highest number of takeaways in

the borough. While the ‘horse has bolted’, this situation must be in part

redressed through much more rigorous planning rules that prohibit further A5

‘takeaway’ development in the Norwood and Tulse Hill area (based on

nuisance and viability of the high street grounds’).


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4.6.6 Crime

Overall, West Norwood and Tulse Hill are relatively safe locations to live in

and visit, particularly from an evening and night time economy

perspective. The lack of a large scale, late-night and alcohol-led culture

means it is free of the violence problems associated with these locations.

Likewise theft from the person is not unheard of but is less common here

then anywhere else in the borough.

The crime that can be attributable to the night-time economy appears to

be around the two stations (Tulse Hill and West Norwood). There are also

a small number of pubs and takeaways around these two transport nodes

so, this is unsurprising. While not facing the same challenges, as Clapham

or Brixton, any improvement or move upmarket for some of the traditional

pubs, is likely to further reduce any incidents related to alcohol and

violence.

Figure 47. West Norwood-Tulse Hill crime by hotspot


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4.6.7 Way forward

Way Forward: West Norwood & Tulse Hill There isn’t a need for a large-scale masterplan for West Norwood or Tulse Hill due to their small nature, slowly evolving character and limited number of strategic sites. However, a place plan is still relevant. They are also places that don’t (and shouldn’t) have a late night economy. However, there are a small number of interventions that will help the evening economy and the quality of life for residents.

• The creation of a community-led ‘place plan’ enabled by Lambeth to set out a vision and work with public and private partners to shape opportunities rather than waiting for a magic bullet to address the decline of the ‘high street’.

• Lighting the church would signal ‘life after dark’ in West Norwood. The conversion of the church’s car park into a multiuse space, with power, would create an excellent events space.

• Tulse Hill Station Rise could make an ideal semi-pedestrianised micro-hub of cafes and pubs.

• The traffic domination of Tulse Hill junction needs to be radically addressed; to enhance the pedestrian experience while still coping with the large volume of traffic on the South Circular.

• A solution needs to be found for the library, if including a community space and perhaps a commercial food-based opportunity; one that is open after 6pm.

• Consider stronger planning / licensing controls for takeaways to prevent further proliferation of these venues that bring very little value to the local economy but numerous problems.

• By building a ‘Norwood village’ feel around the church, Knights Hill and station, a more aspirational offer of bars and restaurants could replace the takeaways and empty shops.

• Retain the town centre inward investment business manager position.

These interventions are set out fully in Section 5. ‘Ideas into Action’: Next Steps.


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5 ‘IDEAS INTO ACTION’ - NEXT STEPS

SECTION 5 ‘Ideas into Action’: Next steps…


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5.1 Introduction

This final section brings together the unique statistical research

undertaken for this project; our real-time observations of the borough

after dark and stakeholders’ views in order to set a broad direction of

travel for the development of Lambeth after 6pm.

It is not the intention of this chapter to provide a costed night-time

economy action plan with detailed ownership of interventions (though this

is recommended as an early win after this study is published). Such an

action plan can only follow client and stakeholder engagement with our

study findings as set out in this chapter of our report.

Rather, here we set out our ideas for action based on both this study in

Lambeth as well as on our knowledge of national and international best

practice. Lambeth Council can use this as the basis for creating the

borough’s, and London’s, first genuinely cohesive approach to the

night-time economy.

Whilst our conclusions require further development into a challenging but

realistic after dark strategy and action plan, Lambeth Council and partners

must be in no doubt that we are not suggesting a pick and mix approach.

Only by developing a truly visionary, comprehensive and cohesive

approach to the development of the borough after dark can it both seize

its opportunities and grow its night-time economy in a way that works for

nearly everybody, while at the same time reducing problems of health,

crime and nuisance that currently blight parts of the borough at night.

5.2 Lambeth’s ‘After Dark Vision’

The first step towards a cohesive strategy for the borough is to set out the

kind of evening and night-time experience Lambeth wants to encourage.

Lambeth doesn’t currently have an ‘After Dark Vision’. Such a vision should

be truly transformative and needs to be urgently developed.

Our suggested Lambeth After Dark Vision, would look something like:

“Lambeth recognises the importance and potential of its night-

time economy. As a result, Lambeth aims to become a leading

player in London’s nightlife and for its ‘after dark offer’ to be a

key part of London’s case for attracting investment, visitors

and in providing a first-rate quality of life for residents.

Its town centres in the evening and at night will define an

identity for Lambeth as a place where high art meets popular

entertainment; where cutting edge venues coexist with family

evenings out. Crucially, Lambeth will encourage community,

cultural and food-led activities to predominate over alcohol-

led uses in order to create a borough that offers a vibrant but

socially sustainable reputation for world-class nightlife.”

It is crucial that all other borough documents when being drafted must

reflect the vision, not just in typical policies such as licensing and

community safety but also in planning, economic development, tourism,

culture, community development and public realm strategies.

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Lambeth’s ‘After Dark Vision’


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5.3 After Dark Targets

The unique research for this study shows that the Lambeth night-time

economy is much larger and more important than previously realised, but

its development could be better optimised.

Therefore, it makes sense that underpinning a new Lambeth After Dark

Vision there needs to be a complementary approach to measuring if the

vision is actually working (as is the strategic approach needed to deliver).

As part of this measurement there is a need to set some clear targets to

aspire to.

Currently there are many local targets around the negative outcomes

associated with parts of the night-time economy, such as crime and

health, so there is no obvious need to supplant these. They should be

pursued vigorously through more robust policy and enforcement (as we

outline in the next section). However, currently there is no target for the

sustainable growth of the borough after dark economy.

With the right policy and management tools in place the borough can both

grow the night-time economy and make it more sustainable, so that by

2025 the night-time economy will become an even greater player in the

life of the borough, to the benefit of inward investment, tourism appeal,

business growth, local job creation and community needs.

To this end we believe it is realistic for Lambeth to include in its economic

development prospectus the following target:

Lambeth is seeking to sustainably grow the turnover of its

night-time economy from £500 million in 2011 to £750

million in 2025.

This target for increased turnover is a straight-line continuation of the

change that happened between 2001 and 2011.

Lambeth could consider a more stretching target, however…

• The UK faces an unpredictable future although we might reasonably

anticipate that the London economy will grow at a rate that permits

this expansion.

• Despite Lambeth’s night-time economy proving remarkably resilient

to the impact of recession on the wider borough economy, it has

lost some ground, and crucially, some of this growth has come from

clusters of alcohol-led venues that have created problems.

• Lambeth will need to embed the night-time economy in its detailed

future plans and within these encourage ‘displacement’ and ‘de-

intensification’ as places like Clapham change to the type of

‘neighbourhood’ night-time economies they should be, whilst

apparently less successful centres, such as West Norwood / Tulse

Hill, take a more prominent role in serving their local communities

after dark.

5.3 After dark targets


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Should this turnover target be achieved, Lambeth will need to

consider around an additional 3,000 jobs in the night-time

economy and, depending upon the mix of firms, another 300 to

400 businesses. These are estimates based upon the employment

and revenue values generated by the unique analysis undertaken

for this study.

Scenario modeling will be required to test the impact in what are quite

different local geographies within Lambeth and to extrapolate meaningful

local targets based on the profiles we have developed in this study for

strategic change.

For example, initial targets for each town centre might look like:

• Waterloo-South Bank (current employment: 2,355). With 5% annual

growth by 2025 (reflecting its balance of maturity but remaining

opportunities), this would add 1,178 jobs and around 80 new firms.

• Vauxhall (current employment: 998). With 10% annual growth

(reflecting wide spatial development opportunities) by 2025 – this

would add around 1,000 jobs and at least an additional 80 firms

(depending on size, i.e. new firms are likely to be much larger).

• Clapham (current employment: 1,235). With rate of change of 0%

(given the need to redress local balance within the night-time

economy), no additional jobs (albeit possibly higher quality ones

requiring different skillsets) or firms (though there may be exchange –

from bars to restaurants).

• Brixton (current employment: 876). With 5% annual growth (reflecting

substantial diversification opportunities) by 2025 this would add 430

jobs and around 80 or so firms (at current size – it is likely to be less as

the current firm size in Brixton is very small).

• Streatham (current employment: 735). With 7.5% annual growth

(reflecting current and potential demographic changes) by 2025 – this

would add 590 jobs and around another 50 or so firms.

• West Norwood & Tulse Hill (current employment: 495). With 5%

annual growth (reflecting limited but realistic opportunities) by 2025 –

this would add 247 jobs in around another 30 to 40 firms (by attracting

more food pubs, restaurants, and entertainment rather than more

small sized fast food operators).

The grounds for optimism are real if Lambeth addresses both the more

effective regulation of night-time economy and takes advantage of the

model already well into development at Waterloo-South Bank, facilitating a

similar but Vauxhall-specific version at the Battersea Nine Elms Lane site

with partners Wandsworth and the Mayor of London.

This momentum of sustainable night-time economy growth can generate

the income to pay for the higher standards of design, development,

regulation and management that will be needed.


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5.4 Three Key Drivers

5.4.1 Background

We have identified three key drivers of policy change and action

that will be needed in order to deliver the vision and the targets for

sustainable after dark economy growth:

1. Leadership, Prioritisation & Partnership. Making the night-time

economy a strategic priority.

2. Planning, Development & Control. Achieving happy communities,

vibrant places and business prosperity.

3. Resources, Best Practice & ACTION! Developing a connected

web of quality management.

Within these there are a number of individual ‘ideas’ and ‘interventions’

that need to be tested for feasibility and then embedded in a more formal

night-time economy action plan (see idea 1) that is adopted by the

council and then reviewed on a regular basis.

5.4.2 ‘Leadership, Prioritisation & Partnership’

1. A Lambeth Night-Time Economy Action Plan – A rigorous

document that begins with the Vision, the targets and centres on the

individual ideas and interventions set out in these three themes. The

action planning process should test feasibility with partners, identify

resources, set out ownership and timescales and a reporting and

evaluation mechanism.

2. A Lambeth Night-Time Economy Delivery Group – The use of

an existing borough-wide group or the development of new

partnership to lead on the delivery of the Night-Time Economy Action

Plan and ensure integration of the Night-Time Economy Vision into

the borough’s other policies and plans.

3. Lambeth Night-Time Economy Champion – Lambeth should

seek a public face for the night-time economy in Lambeth to be the

delegated or appointed owner of the vision and programme and chair

of the Night-Time Economy Delivery Group. The individual must be

passionate about the night-time economy and knowledgeable of the

challenges to be addressed in order to achieve change.

4. Lambeth Night-Time Economy Communications Plan –

Lambeth should draft a plan to better communicate the importance of

the night-time economy, what it is doing to seize opportunities and to

address problems. The first step in the plan would be to disseminate

the findings of this study.

5.4 Ideas for action


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5. The Lambeth Night-Time Economy Prospectus – An aspirational

outward facing document that sets out Lambeth’s vision for the night-

time economy and the current and emerging opportunities – the

vehicle for securing resident, investor and multi-sector buy-in. Linked

to place marketing – like the ‘It’s Liverpool’ strategy.

6. ‘Project London After Dark’ – Promoting Night-Time London

on the World Stage - Lobbying the Mayor, the GLA and London &

Partners for a more strategic approach to the optimisation of the

city’s night-time economy. Lambeth should work with other central

night-time economies such as Westminster, Camden, Kensington &

Chelsea, Islington and Southwark to achieve this.

7. Lambeth & Islington: Partners in Reducing Crime - Lambeth &

Islington should work together to exchange best practice on

managing anc changing late night entertainment zones. Using Upper

Street and Clapham High Street as examples of areas that have

become out of control, both councils can support each other in their

bids for change. These locations could become both London and

national exemplars of turning alcohol-dominated crime hotspots into

more sustainable and diverse evening economies.

8. Night-Time Economy Business Manager – Lambeth (perhaps co-

funded by BIDs) should consider recruiting a business manager who

works on the broad agenda to grow the shape of the night-time

economy, while encouraging and aligning the interests of new

entrepreneurs. This would be similar to the role of the leader of

Sydney’s team of 4 night-time development staff.

9. Night-Time Economy Monitoring – Lambeth should udnertake

annual performance management with this study as the baseline

reference, repeating the TBR/MAKE night-time economy model and

assessing dynamics of success with ATCM’s ‘Night-Time Economy

Performance Management Model’.

10. Detailed Cost Modelling – While we have made a first attempt at

measuring night-time economy costs, within the resources of the

project there was no room to go deeper. However, if the borough is

serious about reducing the costs of crime and health (rather than

council costs, which are relatively low and limited to ‘must haves’

such as lighting and general cleansing), then public health and

policing must work with community safety to produce more regular

and robust data. This can then be built in to the annual monitoring

phase above of the Lambeth Night-Time Economy Action Plan.

11. Cardiff Model The health trusts serving Lambeth have gone some

way to introducing the ‘Cardiff Model’ for reporting alcohol-related

presentations and have invested in a supporting brief intervention

alcohol nurse resource. However, this is in its infancy and both health

partners and the council (in its new role as lead on public health)

should back the increasing resourcing, collection and more effective

use of A&E data for targeting problem premises in the borough.


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5.4.3 ‘Planning, Development & Control’

12. Planning for the NTE – Planning must, as a matter of course,

consider the night-time economy for every area or development. This

means borough-wide in the Local Plan, the upcoming ‘Place Plans’ for

each town centre and in individual Supplementary Planning

Documents and site-specific masterplans. This will only work if the

Director of Planning assumes charge of this.

13. Getting the ‘Night-Mix’ Right – Through planning (and licensing

via cumulative impact areas where required) the borough needs to

get the density and clusters of venue types appropriate to the

character and carrying capacity of each centre. This can in part be

achieved through a more fine tuned use of the Use Classes Orders.

So, instead of, as the Local Plan currently in consultation suggests,

saying that (excluding the Waterloo / Vauxhall Opportunity Areas)

that A3/4/5 applications will normally be refused if they ‘exceed 25%

of ground floor uses in primary shopping locations’ or ‘2 in 5

consecutive frontages in other areas’. A better policy (until local Place

Plans are adopted under the local plan as the material document for

each location) would be to break A3/4/5 into separate categories.

For example, 20% A3 restaurant use would be perfectly reasonable in

a newly adapting Streatham High Street (given we must expect retail

to shrink), with 5% A4 (pubs / bars) and ‘no further’ takeaways. This

would leave 70% for retail and commercial uses. Yet if pubs and

takeaways took up the proposed total A3/4/5 figure of 25%, this

would be a disaster for the area. A more nuanced approach to each

location must be taken in the final Local plan, including a complete

moratorium on further A5 takeaways in most locations.

14. Stemming ‘A3 Creep’ – There needs to be more robust

enforcement of planning permissions where restaurants have ‘crept’

into bars and even nightclubs in the early hours, e.g. Clapham.

15. Firming up Licensing – With the new Licensing Policy there is an

opportunity to tighten up the existing licensing approach, making it

clear that the council will be more robust in tackling problem locations

and premises, including enforcement on promotions and intoxication,

and by ‘weeding and seeding’ (to remove problem licences), as per

Westminster, in order to achieve a more balanced mix. This should be

done through tough wording in the new policy and (to avoid a judicial

review) the drafting of a separate ‘Highway Code’ type document

setting out what Lambeth expects to see as minimum standards and

processes in premises if they are to be considered ‘good neighbours’

and therefore subject to less oversight and enforcement.

16. Late Night Levy and Early Morning Restriction Orders – Given

the problems and costs associated with parts of the NTE, e.g.

Clapham, it is perfectly reasonable for the council to implement a late

night levy to part cover costs and to impose an EMRO where


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residents’ quality of life is compromised. Further the evidence base

of the problems and costs is robust in the borough (though more

evidence from A&E would help build any case).

However, the use of the LNL and/ or EMROs must be the last resort.

The council should give the BIDs and businesses in the late night

economy an agreed timetable (12 months from the publication of this

report) for achieving demonstrable improvements in health, crime

and streetscene outcomes in hotspot areas (Clapham, Brixton,

Vauxhall) if they are to avoid the imposition of such measures.

While police, council and health services must play a more proactive

partnership role than they have previously, the responsibility for

delivering positive change in late night culture must fall squarely on

the businesses that wish to benefit.

5.4.4 Resources, Best Practice & ACTION!

17. Retain Night-Time Economy Coordinator – The new role of

night-time economy coordinator is a welcome addition. Over time

however, there should be a shift from an enforcement and regulation-

based role to a promotional and customer experience one.

18. Town Centre Management – It is vital that Lambeth’s Town

Centre Management (TCM) functions are retained, particularly in

Brixton and Norwood in the absence of BIDs. The sections on each

town centre below highlights why each TCM is uniquely important to

each centre and why their role should include specific after dark

responsibilities.

19. Local Night-Time Economy ‘Activity Management Plans’ –

While the borough needs an overall Night-Time Economy Action Plan,

certain hotspot locations also need their own activity management

plans that fit with what Lambeth, the BIDs and partners are seeking

to achieve. Specifically, Waterloo-South Bank, Clapham, Brixton (and

in due course Vauxhall).

These plans could combine locally relevant issues such as multi-

agency inspections, early intervention policing, street pastors /

guardians such as street ambassadors, night-time taxi ranks and

marshalling, dedicated lighting, CCTV, Radionet, yellow card /

banning schemes, triage centre, street de-cluttering, waste

management, crack downs on taxi touts, Best Bar None, server

training etc. The list is almost endless, but much of it is not yet

present in Lambeth.

Night Time Cleansing – A Priority for the Private Sector.

Currently evening and night-time cleansing is provided in some

locations by the council. A clean environment is essential both for a

sense of order but also for residents to walk home through. Where

this nuisance is the result of the night-time economy, e.g. takeaways

and pre-loading drinks bottles in Brixton and Clapham, this should be

paid for in whole or in substantial part by the firms that benefit from


160

running their businesses in these locations, not by the council.

Discussion with the emerging Clapham and Brixton BIDs should make

it clear that cleaning after say 7 or 8pm is their responsibility and that

the council will hold them to account by enforcing under planning,

environmental health or licensing where litter is found near premises.

20. Early Intervention Policing – Best practice shows that in night-

time economy crime hotspot areas policing is most effective when

proactive and operating to ‘early intervention’ principles. That is,

officers patrolling, meeting and greeting and sending out a clear

message of ‘ownership’. Currently the borough has adopted what is

known as a ‘reactive policing’ model, i.e. responding to incidents. This

needs to be changed to a more proactive one, particularly in

Clapham, until problems of late night disorder have been reduced.

21. Animation and Events – Currently there is a creative use of the

public space around the South Bank for evening events, but much

more could be done elsewhere. More activity is needed after dark in

the other town centres that attract different clientele such as open

film screenings, night markets, festivals and concerts like those that

are routinely programmed in places such as Kingston, Birmingham or

Nottingham.

22. Developing the Local Skills Base – Taking into account employees

from across London who work within Lambeth, as well as Lambeth

residents who work locally or travel to work in night-time economy

jobs outside the borough, there are already over 11,000 people

engaged in this sector with some connection to Lambeth.

Growth in the night-time economy just within Lambeth itself could

take this figure to 14,000 jobs in total. Within this an increasing

number of Lambeth residents would be employed locally and in

neighbouring boroughs (perhaps an increase from the current 4,000+

residents employed to around 7,000) over the next decade.

The range of skill and training issues, which surround this part of the

economy, suggest consideration is given to a Lambeth-based

specialist college, which could of course serve other parts of London

and provide linkage and funding with the businesses that work in the

night time economy.

23. Lambeth: ‘The Purple Flag Borough’ – It would be a satisfying

measure of success if all the borough’s town centres are eventually

accorded Purple Flag status – the gold standard for a well run night-

time economy. In the first instance, Waterloo-South Bank may

already meet the standards (see below) while Vauxhall, Brixton and

Streatham and Clapham could over the medium term with West

Norwood-Tulse Hill perhaps doing so over the longer term. This could

then be used as part of the wider promotional development of the

after dark economy in the borough.

Overleaf are the individual ideas for beginning the transformation of the night-time economy in each town centre.


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5.5 Town Centres: Clpaham

We have identified a number of actions that need to be further tested with

partners for their feasibility and then embedded in both a long-term local

‘Place Plan’ for Clapham and a short-term Night-Time Economy Activity

Management Plan for Clapham High Street. These include:

21. Clapham Vision and Place Plan – While there is a sound Draft

Clapham Delivery Plan that highlights many of the issues facing the

town and sets out some actions, at present there is no community

agreed vision for the town for any time of day. Yet it critically needs

one that sets out the kind of place that residents, businesses and

other interested parties want to see develop over the next 20 years.

The imminent Clapham ‘Place Plan’ process should combine fresh

consultation with residents, businesses and users about an holistic

future plan for the town with the relevant parts of the existing delivery

plan.

22. Night Time Activity Management Plan – As noted previously,

while the Place Plan is in genesis, there is a need for a more

comprehensive ‘Night-Time Activity Management Plan’ for Clapham.

There have been previous attempts at this but a fresh approach

should be developed. The plan should have the support of the licensed

trade, public partners and the community. This should encompass

many of the actions and interventions below, such as toilet provision,

licensing enforcement, planning and so on. This could be developed

by the Clapham Licensing Forum of local after dark businesses, which

is supported by the council’s community safety team, with

involvement of the BID once it is voted in.

23. The Clapham BID – A BID, once operational, needs to take a strong

lead on managing the negative impact of the High Street’s night-time

economy and also playing a full role in shaping a new more

sustainable after dark vision as part of the Place Plan process. While

the BID process has been commissioned, it is key that the ‘business

plan’ that emerges from this process takes on board the ideas for

action in this section and includes them where appropriate.

24. Licensing Policy – Some enforcement in Clapham has taken place.

However, in line with our recommendation for a firmer borough-wide

Licensing Policy, this is particularly relevant to Clapham. The new

policy should set out that, as of 2013, there are too many late night

venues and that these compromise the licensing objectives. Like

Westminster, Lambeth should set out in its policy that for Clapham it

wants to see a more balanced evening offer, where food and

entertainment are the main reasons for a night out.

25. Maintain Cumulative Impact (Saturation) Policy – Viewing the

crime statistics, it is crucial that the Cumulative Impact (Saturation)

Area is retained, monitored and modified if necessary. Currently it

does not include off-sales and this should be considered given the

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large amounts of cans, bottles and other alcohol vessels that are

deposited nearby late night venues.

26. Early Morning Restriction Order - In reality Clapham High Street

sits in a leafy residential area and while its night-time offer is often

fun, it is problematic and it feels strongly out of place in Clapham.

While the BID must be given time to work, the council should not be

afraid to consider an Early Morning Restriction Order to reduce late

night problems. 1am would be a logical terminal hour for a suburban

neighbourhood centre. This would still allow locals to have a late drink

while allowing visitors to use the Underground as part of a viable

transport mix out of the area post midnight. This would be

controversial with late night businesses.

27. A3 Creep – While the Place Plan and (at a borough level) the Local

Plan will set out what balance of land uses should be in Clapham,

particularly in the High Street, it is crucial that in the meantime the

council is much firmer on enforcing planning permissions. Any premise

that is permitted planning for A3 food use should be restricted to that

use. This could ‘remove’ three or four late night ‘bars’ immediately

from the overheated Clapham mix.

28. Major Public Realm Project – Clapham deserves a first rate public

realm given its history and ‘village’ style, but at present it is messy,

low quality, profoundly cluttered and traffic dominated. The Clapham

Place Plan should identify how the public realm is to be transformed

(i.e. through shared space, traffic mitigation, shop frontage and

heritage enhancements etc.)

29. De-cluttering – Given funds are short for such a major public realm

initiative, an early win for the public realm would be to de-clutter the

high street, benefiting users both day and night. After dark queues

seriously obstruct and intimidate non-venue users and provide easy

opportunities for theft and ‘dipping’ by thieves targeting those using

ATMs on the high street. Short term de-cluttering could be done as

part of the Night Time Activity Management Plan with the BID leading

once formed.

30. Safe Space & Street Pastors – A quick win, and one that is

currently being trialled, is the creation of a safe space at the Methodist

Church. In turn this could be a base for Street Pastors, which are

currently much needed.

31. Toilets – The current toilet provision in Clapham is poor, even given

the Community Toilet Scheme. It is recommended that the BID leads

on providing the toilet solution given the majority of street urination

observed is from users of the licensed premises. In the meantime

making the 20p toilet free may help.

32. Yellow Card Scheme – Proven to work in other locations, this

scheme, which gives warnings and then bans to individuals who cause

problems, has been introduced in Clapham’s venues. We recommend


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the continued trialling of this due to its effectiveness elsewhere. But it

must be reviewed, as it is a scheme that benefits from excluding local

troublemakers and Clapham has a very transient late night economy

that attracts a high number of people from beyond Clapham.

33. Radio scheme There is no borough-wide ‘radionet’ type scheme

allowing premises to warn others of troublemakers. It needs one, with

Clapham being the most immediate beneficiary.

34. Event and Festivals –Despite Venn Street Market and events on the

Common, the town’s animation is surprisingly limited and takes place

mainly during the day. Therefore, there is room for more events and

festival activity that is locally driven and which is family focused and

this is something that the BID once established should look to enable.

35. Purple Flag – Part of the Clapham Place Plan should be to achieve a

Purple Flag. However, at present due to the alcohol-related disorder

and the over-density of alcohol-led venues, this is some way off. As

the after-dark economy is regulated towards a more diverse and

appropriate offer it is possible that its other facilities, e.g. cinema,

library etc. will form a feasible alternative to alcohol-led activities.

5.5.1 Waterloo-South Bank

36. Public Realm Improvement and Integration – There are a

number of schemes - South Bank Centre Phase 2, Waterloo Station,

Waterloo Plaza / Elizabeth House - that are currently seeking to

provide cohesion within Waterloo-Southbank. =It is crucial that the

council, Waterloo BID, South Bank Centre, South Bank Employers

Group, TfL, Network Rail and the Mayor, as well as landowners,

ensure that within this overall vision they embed a coherent and

distinctive after dark offer.

There is a clear need to provide seamless navigation between the

distinct parts of the offer (South Bank, Waterloo Station, The Cut and

Lower Marsh) through better signage, lighting, junction redesign, street

furniture, shared space etc. However, it would be easy to redesign this

area simply for the 100,000s of workers who come into London each

day or for weekend South Bank tourists. The emerging vision and

projects for the area set out in the updated SPD (approved April 2013)

must ensure it works around the clock, seven days a week. It must be

a seamless destination and a ‘real’ place, retaining office workers after

work, providing appropriate facilities for the increasing volume of

residents, as well as the ever-growing number of tourists.

37. South Bank Centre Redevelopment: Phase 2 – Fielden Clegg

Bradley’s delivery of the Rick Mather Masterplan for Phase 2 of the

South Bank Centre redevelopment really needs to ensure the evening

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and night time offer is not simply ‘more of the same’. But, considers

how a more individual and independent leisure-retail (and ‘quiet

space’) environment can be provided in what has to now been a

generally corporate and chain-based offer. Phase 1 has been effective

in business and footfall terms, but the future night-time ‘non-culture’

offer should be as stimulating and innovative as the cultural offer.

38. South Bank ‘Late’ – There is both the apparent demand and the

capacity around the South Bank Centre area to deliver a late night

cultural and leisure-retail offer, such as music, performance, comedy

and cabaret combined with food and some drink till at least 1am and

possibly 2am. Currently the South Bank / North Waterloo becomes

deserted after 11pm, yet due to its limited number of residents, it is

one of the few areas in central London that that would actually benefit

from more venues that open past midnight.

The South Bank / North Waterloo are only a ‘stone’s throw’ from

Covent Garden / Charing Cross where there is little 11pm to 2am offer

due to Westminster’s licensing policy. South Bank – North Waterloo

could take advantage of this. As such, the feasibility of this should be

investigated as part of phase 2 of the South Bank Centre

redevelopment, for the future use of the railway arches, and in any

masterplans / development briefs for the area.

39. Protect and Enhance Lower Marsh – The BID should continue to

promote this historic but hidden street, particularly working to open it

up to Waterloo Station’s huge user numbers and by taking forward its

ideas of extending the market into the evening, as well as securing

new tenants for premises that augment the existing independent feel

of the street. It is also crucial is that the BID and the council keeps a

close eye on the number of licensed premises here – around 20%

being restaurants and bars would be ideal, but much more and it

could replicate the problems of Clapham High Street.

40. Off-Sales Cumulative Impact (Saturation) Policy - There are

real anti-social behaviour issues in and around Waterloo-South Bank.

Lambeth should consider following the successful lead of Blackpool

and Leicester and introduce a Cumulative Impact (Saturation) Policy

for off-sales only in the area, to limit future access to take-away

alcohol. It will not cure the problem (there are numerous other

initiatives under way), but it can prevent future exacerbation. There is

no current need for such a policy to extend to on-premises.

41. Purple Flag – The South Bank is certainly good enough to attain

Purple Flag status, and so this should be an aim for the BID / SBEG /

Lambeth. (Purple Flag is the ‘gold standard’ accreditation for a well

run night-time economy). It may wish to encompass Waterloo (Lower

Marsh / The Cut) in any application, although this may create

complexity. But in working together with the Purple Flag

administrators, theses agencies can together decide the best route to

Purple Flag status.


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5.5.2 Vauxhall

42. Animating the Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea Opportunity

Framework: An Activity Plan – This thorough technical plan has

widespread support, but in the next stage of preparation and delivery

it needs to seriously revisit the evening or night-time economy, which

at present it has not addressed

The council must lobby (both the Mayor and landowners) to ensure

that individual development briefs, masterplans and building designs

are fully ‘activated’ through the 24-hour cycle (from breakfasting office

workers to residents late night gay clubbers).

There is a case for going even further and commissioning an ‘Activity

Plan’ which sets out how the area will develop, look and feel at street /

public realm level with distinct phases (including evening and night-

time economy e.g. from 5pm to 8pm, 8pm to 11pm, 11pm to 2am and

very late night.)

This would compliment the emerging Cultural Strategy by ensuring the

public realm has the infrastructure, such as lighting, powerpoints,

performance spaces and seating to facilitate both a sense of place and

real ownership as well as the creation of a vibrant public realm. This

would avoid the creation of a slick but sterile neighbourhood, such as

Southwark Street in neighbouring Southwark or Central St Giles in

Holborn which become what placemakers call a ‘tumbleweed town’

once office workers go home. Vauxhall must and can avoid this

scenario from the outset.

43. Maximising the Cultural Strategy – Lambeth have commissioned

a cultural strategy to compliment the development of the Vauxhall

Nine Elms Battersea Masterplan. This will go some way to delivering

this activation of the street level and ensuring that the area has ‘life

after dark’. The strategy must cover both ‘Culture’ (e.g. staged art and

performance) but also wider ‘culture’ – creating a set of tools for the

area that permits the expression of a wide range of ‘community and

‘lived’ culture e.g. from skateboarding to people-watching, window art

to children’s play.

44. BID – The Vauxhall BID has numerous late night members and the

night-time economy is clear priority. While its primary role is to deliver

its business plan, there is an opportunity for the BID to support the

development the area as a ‘destination’ identifying complementary

uses that might enhance the current evening offer while co-existing

with the late night offer.

45. Off-Sales Cumulative Impact (Saturation) Policy - Consideration

should be given to an Off Sales Cumulative Impact (Saturation) Policy,

preferably at the same time as adjoining Waterloo-South Bank. Street

drinking and nuisance behaviour is a problem and a joined up

approach would save resources and help minimise displacement.

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5.5.3 Brixton

46. Brixton Place Plan – The Future Brixton Masterplan has been a

useful steer for change but was completed a number of years ago.

The forthcoming Place Plan process should take the valuable insights

in Future Brixton, combine them with the analysis in this study and

that of other work (e.g. the developing BID) to create a new vision for

the town centre and its surrounding neighbourhoods.

Crucial to this is embedding Lambeth’s now greater understanding of

the town’s after dark economy in this plan to reflect the recent

success and potential of attractions such as Brixton Village, the

fantastic market, and falls in crime as a platform to attract new

investors and new users. We believe this can happen without fear

that Brixton will lose its soul and become gentrified, but a better

balance could be achieved.

47. Supporting the Brixton BID – A Brixton BID is the single most

important development that the town’s night-time economy (and town

centre) can have to build on its recent success. It needs to happen

urgently. While BID development is always a challenging process and

requires determination and patience, particularly where there is little

previous partnership, further support of the Brixton BID could be

considered to accelerate the process.

48. Purple Flag – Brixton has been working at achieving Purple Flag and

is close in many criteria, though crime and safety (albeit improved),

remains a stumbling block. Lambeth, the Met and the BID (once

operational) should work with ATCM to attain this gold standard.

49. Marketing Brixton – Brixton’s after dark offer is first rate, even for

London. It’s not to everyone’s taste, nor should it be, but the cinema,

Brixton Village, the O2 as well as emerging businesses, such as Craft

independent beer house, now mean that Brixton has the critical mass

for a night out. Yet it is not known widely enough for this – a

marketing plan is required and should be part of the BID’s early work.

50. Animating Brixton After Dark – The BID, once formed, together

with community groups and Lambeth town centre management

should ‘think big’ about how to animate the town through festivals and

events that continue into the evening and in particular how to use

Windrush Square to greater effect. There are some excellent one off

events, (e.g. Brixton Splash and the proposed Light Night for

November 2013), but the town needs a year round programme that

makes people (local and across London) ask this question “Shall we go

into Brixton this weekend – there’s usually something interesting on?”

Currently Lambeth’s approach to the Square is reactive: waiting for

people to come to it to hire it, and at a high cost, Perhaps instead,

devolving power to local businesses and communities to regularly host

activities and events on the Square, through Lambeth’s cooperative

Town centre: Brixton


167

model, would be a better model. And taking a look at Kingston’s use of

its Market Place with its calendar of events is a good exemplar.

51. Town Centre Management – Lambeth must be lauded for retaining

town centre management when many areas have divested it to save

money in tough times. There is clear evidence that towns without TCM

lose their way (and the Portas Review clearly said that town teams

and leadership were the top priority). This is particularly true in

Brixton, which is both a resilient and endlessly inventive community

but also one that needs support to help oil the wheels of positive

change. The retained TCM function for Brixton must retain a strong

focus on its night-time economy.

52. Early Intervention Policing - Policing is more visible in Brixton than

in Clapham. However, the policing plan should put more emphasis on

early intervention and ‘meet and greet’ standards settings, with police

often seen in cars or vans as the night progresses. A more foot patrol,

standards setting policing model could be helpful in assuring visitors of

their personal safety and deterring potential criminality later in the

evening.

53. Takeaway Restrictions. While currently there is no immediate need

for a restriction on alcohol-led premises (A4 in planning), a restriction

on any further takeaways (using both A5 planning control quotas and

also an innovative ‘takeaway only cumulative impact policy’ could be

easily justified on grounds of nuisance and crime hotspots.

5.5.4 Streatham

54. The Streatham Place Plan - This is particularly crucial for

Streatham, because while there is a solid retail offer in the high road,

it is one that has been, and is likely to remain, under threat, despite

the positive developments such as the Streatham Hub. The

community, the council and partners, such as the nascent BID, must

identify a bold future direction that enhances the best of what is in

Streatham now, but also looks to the evening (rather than late-night)

economy to help secure a sustainable future for the high road.

55. Planning for a Different Kind of Streatham - As part of this Place

Plan process, a review of planning policy is needed into the current

land use mix and use classes restrictions in order to revaluate whether

the current protection of retail units is viable for the longer term and

whether there needs to be a new mix of uses that better reflects the

changing role of retail and leisure in society.

56. Licensing: A Watching Brief – Alcohol licensing policy does not

need to change markedly in Streatham. However, in order to avoid

‘another Clapham’ the council, police and community groups should

retain a close eye on the figures for alcohol-related crime in the

evening and at night. They should also identify any trend for operators

seeking to open more alcohol-led premises that seek to attract an 18

to 30 crowd, which would unbalance the family-led nature of the

town. At that point licensing restrictions may be required.

Town centre: Streatham


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57. After Dark Investment Plan - Streatham would benefit from

making its after dark investment potential more widely known. It could

be the perfect mix of independent and branded leisure-retail premises,

though careful planning will be needed to ensure that the latter do not

come to dominate. The demographic, as our analysis shows, has really

changed and there are more affluent families choosing Streatham as a

place to live. The BID should lead on a gap analysis and target specific

businesses (both branded and local multiples and entrepreneurs) it

feels fit well with the catchment. More analysis of the catchment will

demonstrate to investors how businesses such as Nando’s and Pizza

Express, as well as local concepts, have opened in Streatham and

done well.

58. Marketing Streatham The other side of the development coin, is for

the BID to market to consumers what currently exists in the town,

which is seriously underrated / misunderstood beyond Streatham

itself. From The Hideaway to Bar 61, Thomson Deli to the Odeon (and

soon the ice rink and pool), amongst many others, there is a phoenix

rising again.

59. Take-Away Restrictions - Streatham, after West Norwood, is a

South London hotspot for takeaways. It is crucial that this subsector of

the economy does not expand in empty retail premises and planning

and licensing must combine to produce a policy that resists further

development. This is not just to avoid crime and nuisance concerns,

but also to reduce negative health impacts and to maintain

Streatham’s move to a more aspirational feel, something which

takeaways demonstrably damage.

60. An Even Better Public Realm. The public realm has genuinely

improved in Streatham High Road’s northern end. However, it still

remains heavily traffic-dominated in other parts and it needs further

lighting, public space enhancement, pedestrian and cycle

improvements and traffic mitigation methods to continue as far south

as Streatham Hub and the park, to create one cohesive and vibrant

ribbon development. Some of this is underway through funding from

the Outer London Fund Round 2.

61. Streatham Green Lighting – During the study, the recently

improved Streatham Green had 5 of its 8 lights out. It is important

that general maintenance is carried out as it sends out a signal that

the space and therefore the surrounding area is not under control.


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5.5.5 West Norwood-Tulse Hill

62. The West Norwood & Tulse Hill ‘Place Plan’ – This is crucial for

these two locations (either developed together or separately), which

of all the town centres have had the least masterplanning and

envisioning so far. Critical issues for the local place plan team will be

to identify how to retain good businesses and to attract in new, more

aspirational ones who have so far steered clear of the town, despite

more families being attracted to Norwood in recent years.

63. Take-Away Restrictions – An even more urgent issue than in

Streatham or Brixton is a policy that resists further development of A5

(takeaway) use. This can most obviously be done through planning,

but it should also be considered by licensing (post-11pm) who may be

able to collate specific data relating to higher incidents around the

clusters of late night takeaways. Our analysis suggests that the

problems that do occur in West Norwood are in the proximity of fast

food outlets. If this is possible, then an innovative ‘Takeaway (only)

Cumulative Impact Policy’ could compliment planning restrictions.

64. St Luke’s Church – The church is the centrepiece of West Norwood

due to its community role, its imposing nature and its elevation. The

memorial gardens have demonstrated improvement, but more needs

to be made of the building, particularly at night. Lighting the church

imaginatively and addressing the car park could really put the town on

the map and should form part of the public realm improvements

delivered through the Outer London Fund before March 2014.

65. ‘After Dark Anchor’ and Leisure Multiples - West Norwood needs

an ‘anchor’ food/entertainment-led business e.g. gastro pub, comedy

club. Lambeth and the West Norwood Business Manager should

identify the right kind of business and operator and seek to pair them

with an existing premises, perhaps examining leases on existing pubs

and the feasibility of changing the offer on an existing venue.

66. Public Realm Improvement for Station Rise, Tulse Hill - The

one area of character in Tulse Hill is Station Rise, with its cobbles and

courtyard feel. Yet at the moment it is basically used as a car park.

Funding could turn this into a small public space with limited vehicular

access, which then allows the pub and restaurants to put chairs out

and offer table service, capturing those on their way home form work

and even providing a space for a small weekend food market.

67. Mitigating Traffic – It is clear that traffic dominance needs to be

mitigated both in Tulse Hill (at the corner of Tulse Hill itself with

Thurlow Park Road) and in West Norwood (at the junction of Knights

Hill and Norwood High Street). Both junctions need re-modelling in

favour of easer pedestrian crossings and de-cluttering (particularly at

Tulse Hill). This will help create a sense of a place that allows local

people to feel safe in their own neighbourhood and improve their

quality of life. The junction of Knights Hill-Norwood High Street has

the potential for a shared space / raised table that could accentuate

the connectivity to the cemetery, church and Norwood Rd.

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5.6 Closing statement

Only by recognising the value as well as the addressing the negatives of Lambeth’s incredibly important night-time economy, can those who want to make a change for the better argue for more investment and resources to take the borough in the right direction after dark.

Lambeth (like most other areas) must move beyond traditional arguments in the night-time economy if it is to develop a first-rate sustainable after dark experience. “Leave us alone, we are creating jobs and pay our rates” often comes from alcohol-led businesses. While diametrically opposed to this is: “Some of these businesses are a menace, how do we close them down” which often emanates from the police, health and community.

The most proactive way to think about the borough’s after dark future is this: “The night-time economy is crucially important to us in employment, prestige, community wellbeing and town centre viability terms; how do we work together to maximise the opportunities, whilst better tackling the threats?”

Our view is that if Lambeth implements the ‘ideas for action’ in this report and takes a strong lead on the development and management of the night-time economy across the borough, then it has the potential to become a model of good practice for the whole of London, bolstering its aim to be a first rate ‘co-operative’ authority.

Closing statement


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6 Contact

Contacts Lambeth Council For more details about the project, please contact Sandra Roebuck, Regeneration Programme Manager, Lambeth Council at [email protected].

Consultant team Paul Davies, Association of Town & City Management (for all planning, urban design and Purple Flag enquiries). [email protected]

Terry Bevan, TBR (for all benefits auditing, economic analysis, TCR database use and NightMix data). [email protected]

Alistair Turnham, MAKE Associates (for all costs and NightMix News, socio-demographics, night-time economy strategies, BIDs and licensing) [email protected]