Sadiq Khan’s night czar Amy Lamé has announced that she will be standing down from her role at City Hall after eight years.
- READ MORE: 2023 was “worst year for venue closures” while “no one in music industry seems to care”, say MVT
Lamé was appointed as London’s first-ever night czar by Khan, following his election as mayor in 2016. Today (October 2), she shared that she’ll be leaving the role at the end of the month, saying it’s been a “huge honour” but that she believes it’s “the right time” to “move on”.
“It has been a real privilege to serve Londoners and deliver for the mayor, and I’m deeply proud of what has been achieved in the face of so many challenges,” she said.
The mayor’s office has praised Lamé for her support of “hundreds of venues since 2016” and for being “instrumental in reopening Fabric, protecting the 100 Club, securing the future of Printworks, securing the reopening of the Black Cap after 10 years of closure, and enabling Drumsheds to open, amongst others.”
However, the night czar had been the subject of criticism in recent months, following her claim that London has a “24-hour culture”. Londoners took to Twitter/X to dispute this, citing a lack of 24-hour transport options and the continued loss of venues in the capital evidence the comments were inaccurate.
In February, it was revealed that 31 per cent of UK nightclubs closed last year as the industry demanded government action. Meanwhile, 2023 was “worst year for venue closures” while “no one in music industry seems to care”, according to Music Venue Trust.
Grassroots music venues in the capital like North London’s Nambucca are among those that have fallen victim to financial issues resulting in closure.
Lamé responded by saying she could “point to the successes” of her role – after being tasked with “ensuring London thrives as a 24-hour city” in 2016 – including saving Fabric nightclub, opening Drumsheds in a former Ikea in Tottenham and funding grassroots live music venues.
Lamé’s stint as night czar coincided with the pandemic – a period when the cities’ nightlife industry was plunged into uncertainty. At the time, Lamé called on the government to provide more clarity for venues subject to closures, highlighting their crucial role in Britain’s culture, saying: “Over the weekend I was watching Glastonbury from years past and it was mind-blowing. Amy Winehouse on the Pyramid Stage when she was 23.”
“There’s a gal who was pulling pints and doing backroom gigs at the Dublin Castle. How do you get an Amy Winehouse, how do you get a Stormzy? Pick any artist you like and they will have started out in a grassroots venue. People don’t appreciate the true value of them.”
Questions have frequently been raised about the role of the night czar, given that licensing decisions remain in the hands of borough councils – an issue that became evident in 2018 when restrictive new legislation on bars, clubs and other nightlife was imposed on the borough of Hackney.
Following criticism of the new legislation, Lamé told NME: “Licensing policy is, by law, a matter for local authorities. Neither I nor the Mayor have the power to tell local authorities what to do or not to do on licensing issues. However, my role is to help get everyone to sit around the table, talking together, to represent the needs of the night-time economy in those conversations, and ultimately to find a solution that works for everyone.”
Our friend & colleague @amylame has decided to stand down as the Night Czar of London after 8 very challenging and stressful years. It’s a fact that without Amy dozens more music venues in London would be closed. She brought passion, commitment and expertise to the role. Thanks!
— Music Venue Trust (@musicvenuetrust) October 2, 2024
In 2022, she shared that “there is hope that it still has a future” for Printworks, following the news that Southward Council had approved plans to turn it into an office block. The iconic London music venue then closed its doors in May this year, however in September it was announced that the venue was one step closer to reopening after it received planning consent for a redevelopment.
Khan said: “I’d like to thank Amy for everything that she’s done as the capital’s first-ever night czar. She has worked hard to help London’s nightlife through huge challenges, including the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, and I know she will continue to be a key part of the industry going forward.”
THANK YOU
I want to say thank you to @amylame for everything they have done for me, G-A-Y & @HeavenLGBTClub pic.twitter.com/yxNHL6tsiG— G-A-Y & Heaven 🏳️🌈 Nightclub (@HeavenLGBTClub) October 2, 2024
Reflecting on her role, Lamé said: “Boroughs are planning for life at night for the first time with dedicated night time strategies, the innovative Women’s Night Safety Charter has ensured thousands of organisations prioritise the safety of women, the Agent of Change is protecting venues from development, four in five of London’s night workers are receiving the London Living Wage and I’ve worked alongside hundreds of venues to support them in their hours of need.
Lamé went on to say: “Cities across the UK and the world have created their own champions for life at night in recent years, and it’s been inspiring to work alongside them.”
It is currently unclear whether Lamé will be replaced with a new night czar. A source at City Hall said that the London Nightlife Taskforce “will examine and address the issues facing the industries”, and that any further decisions on the role “will be taken once they have completed their work.”