TheSohoBA

The numbers are in. And they’re not sugar-coated. Sales across UK hospitality slipped again—down 1% YoY, with bars taking the biggest hit (-5.1%). Pubs held on (+0.5%), but rising costs and weak Bank Holidays have many operators squeezed thin. If you’re feeling the pressure, you’re not alone—this isn’t just a blip, it’s a pattern. Keep pushing, keep adapting. Summer needs to come through. 🔗 Read more: buff.ly/dS5jcEZ #HospitalityIndustry #LateNightEconomy #UKBars #NTE #CGAHospitalityTracker

@ChefVGGP :(

@JamesRamsden_ East soho down 50% on covers vs same time last year. Data straight from Opentable.

Westminster After Dark: An Inclusive and Dynamic City Have your say on developing an inclusive and dynamic Evening and Night-time Strategy for Westminster. From the West End to Harrow Road, Westminster plays a key role in London’s nightlife, supporting good jobs and a world leading array of cultural, entertainment, and culinary attractions. Westminster City Council is on a mission to create an inclusive Evening and Night-time Strategy to improve the night-life in Westminster. We want our community to be safe, sustainable, inclusive, and accessible. Your ideas matter, whether you're a resident, a visitor, a business owner, or part of a local group. We'll share news, events, and surveys for your input on this platform. Become the voice for change and make Westminster an inclusive and dynamic place at night! westminsterafterdark.commonplace.is

Ask for Clive's Pub Pride Returns this May - Partnering wiuth the NTIA to Champion Inclusive, Safe Spaces “Founded 2021 with the objective of welcoming in Pride month locally, and celebrating where the community eat, drink and hang out in their home town location. Venues can participate in many ways: **Display signage to support community and showcase their commitment to inclusivity, many even leaving signage up for all of June. **Hold events during the weekend of May 30th. These have included club nights, live music, Pub Quizzes, Pride Classics Karaoke, Drag Bingo, Themed nights. **Food and Drink promos including Pub Pride Cocktails as offered by Punch and McMullens offering a contribution toward the ASK FOR CLIVE campaign. **Supported nationally by The NTIA and CAMRA. We encourage pubs and venues to ensure the highest levels of authenticity in their events, both involving and empowering the LGBTQ+ community. ASK FOR CLIVE will map supporting venues and promote events on both socials and askforclive.com. We have resounding testimony from previous years that Pub Pride is a celebratory and uplifting event for the community, and also very good for business. With dwindling numbers of queer spaces nationally, and an absence in many towns and cities, Pub Pride gives the community a platform to celebrate Pride in their local nighttime economy.”

"Neighbourhood Policing Should Be a Constant, Not a Comeback says NTIA” Statement from Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association “We welcome the government's renewed focus on neighbourhood policing and any steps that aim to rebuild public trust and safety within our communities. However, we must also take a moment to reflect on the wider implications of this announcement. The fact that the return of visible policing is being framed as a major milestone signals just how far we've drifted from what should be a fundamental and consistent public service. Neighbourhood policing should never have been allowed to decline to the point where its reintroduction feels like a breakthrough. The night-time economy has long felt the effects of this absence. For years, businesses and communities operating during late hours have voiced concerns over reduced police presence, rising antisocial behaviour, and the growing sense that enforcement has become reactive rather than preventative. This has led to increased strain on venues, staff, and the people who rely on the safety of these spaces to enjoy their evenings responsibly. We must be cautious of transactional or short-term fixes. While pledging more officers and visibility is welcome, what’s needed is a sustained, strategic commitment that recognises the unique challenges of the late-night economy—and supports it not only during high-profile moments, but day in and day out. A recent survey of 18–30 year olds showed that 46% would be encouraged to stay out later if they felt safer, with over half of them being women. This tells us clearly that perceptions of safety play a direct role in participation in the night-time economy. Policing is not just about deterrence—it’s also about giving people the confidence to enjoy their towns and cities at night. We look forward to working with government and local authorities to ensure this renewed focus on neighbourhood policing delivers real, long-term impact. The opportunity now is to move beyond headlines and create an environment where safety is not just promised, but truly felt.”

@CllrPLilley @isabelanderton @planforsoho @ShortCaught @britloos @sohosocietyw1 @loos4london @ageukcampaigns @CityWestminster Let's educate the children and eradicate this!

@isabelanderton @TheSohoBA @planforsoho @ShortCaught @britloos @sohosocietyw1 @loos4london @ageukcampaigns @CityWestminster To be honest some men flagrantly pee on the street in daylight, shopping or not. This is a priority for me. It’s all sorts of men, suited professionals, theatre goers and pub crawlers. Libertys, Selfridges and many other department stores have facilities with no req to purchase.

The Great Public Toilet debate “I don't want to buy a £4 coffee just so I can use the loo”! #Moreloosplease ⁦@ShortCaught⁩ @britloos⁩ ⁦@sohosocietyw1⁩ ⁦@loos4london⁩ ⁦⁦@ageukcampaigns⁩ bbc.com/news/articles/…

@MickKill Absolutely well deserved! Lead on!

What. A. Week. Huge wins for electronic music, the night-time economy and its recognition in culture and a the real opportunity for policy change — this week has been about real political progress that will shape the future of our industry. And just when I thought the week couldn’t get any bigger, an incredible surprise… Alongside the brilliant Emma McClarkin from BBPA, I’ve been awarded the status of Life Long Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality. For the first time ever, I was speechless! It was an honour to share this moment with Emma who was also honoured, and I can’t thank the IOH enough for this tremendous honour, Thank you to @RBWR , along with the trustees and board for this fantastic recognition. To top it all off, we celebrated with an amazing lunch at @L’Oscars which made the moment even more special. Feeling truly grateful—what a way to round off an unforgettable few days! 🎉👏 #NightTimeEconomy #ElectronicMusic #Grateful #Honoured @Sacha_Lord

You're always welcome in #Soho, and even more so when you bring the good news.

Always good to have real discussions in #Soho, where the good times belong.

@___LYUCHENKO @VoteTimBarnes @FitzWestForum @___LYUCHENKO we have had amazing impact, with more policing, more CCTV, and other success, but, we still struggle daily with our council, and we also wish to be heard with parity or balance. Good news today, rejecting treating Soho like Belgravia has been illogical.

@VoteTimBarnes @FitzWestForum @TheSohoBA Mea culpa - I'm over the border in LB of Camden and to my knowledge we don't have such things over here. Reaching out to the councillors here just sends us to the CGCA, even for matters such as security. Do you have examples of the impact the aforementioned bodies have had?

The communities around the street each have a resident-business "Forum", which is a start, eg @FitzWestForum There are also business groups such as the @TheSohoBA It's also a duty of Councillors to listen to businesses and for the Council to promote economic development. There's a business body called @newwestend that covers most of the area, too. Very happy to listen to ideas for what could be done better!

We are pleased by the mayors support for the night time industry and 24 hour economy, which has been under pressure. We look forward to working with the mayor on a balanced approached in areas like Soho, which have a global heritage of providing live music, leisure and enjoyment.

#Soho Don’t miss an exhibition of art work produced by the children of Soho Parish CE Primary School during their annual art week. 5-8th February Gt. Pulteney Street Gallery, #SohoLondon

We all care! We love Soho, and love the community we have. The businesses that stay are the ones we, the locals, support. <3 Soho!

@isabelanderton @CllrPLilley @planforsoho @ShortCaught @britloos @sohosocietyw1 @loos4london @ageukcampaigns @CityWestminster Or women!

@CllrPLilley @planforsoho @ShortCaught @britloos @sohosocietyw1 @loos4london @ageukcampaigns @CityWestminster The majority interviewed in the article are female. Urinals are great for late night male users but not daytime shoppers?

@Michael_Roned @stefanroberts Thanks Michael, we're pretty sure we all want the same things. Who wouldn't want a vibrant, safe, accessible, inclusive area?!

@stefanroberts 1000% agree @TheSohoBA has been fighting for this for years (against a group of stubborn residents who are strangling a cultural hub instead of just moving somewhere quieter)

@stefanroberts @Baron_Douro @Hertsnik How about a compromise of shared space, with timed for cars and people? We aren't asking to have post lockdown al-fresco. We are asking to have a look at designing Soho streets that people can walk in, safely, while keeping it as Soho as Soho should always be.

Soho business owners are calling on the Mayor of London not to forget the central London area as he continues plans to regenerate Oxford Street. bbc.in/48rAk7d

Soho 'must be included in Oxford St regeneration' bbc.com/news/articles/…

@planforsoho @CityWestminster @sohosocietyw1 @timlord65 @thisissoho @ilovesoholondon @NimaxTheatres @lucy_haine @publica_office @BerW1ckStMarket @EnglishHeritage Rupert St

What we have vs what we’ve lost. We have commissioned a Soho heritage study to create a digital map of Soho’s heritage assets. What would you miss? Send images & feedback 📧 ➡️SohoHeritageAudit@publica.co.uk by 31 October 2024 #Soho #soholondon #sohoheritage @CityWestminster

@planforsoho @CityWestminster @sohosocietyw1 @timlord65 @thisissoho @ilovesoholondon @NimaxTheatres @lucy_haine @publica_office @BerW1ckStMarket @EnglishHeritage