The Granite City is paving the way forward in night-time economy management through the creation of the Aberdeen City Centre Night-Time Commission.
The panel group, which has been set up by Aberdeen Inspired, will meet for the first-time tomorrow (Tuesday October 1).
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Acting as a lobbying body on behalf of the night-time economy at a local and national level, the commission is made up of representatives from the cultural and hospitality sector, beauty, leisure, and retail, and economic development and planning.
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired said: “It is well documented that outside of London, we brought in the first evening and night-time economy manager in the UK and have seen a real dividend through both her implementation of innovative strategies such as ‘Inspired Nights’, and Aberdeen Restaurant Week and also positively influencing related policy at both a local and national level. The next stage was for us to broaden this further in bringing together the skills and experience of our night-time leaders as a collective voice through the creation of the ‘Commission’.”
Aberdeen has received recognition as the UK lead in night economy management and is leading the way in city centre safety, having secured Purple Flag re-accreditation for the sixth time earlier this year.
Nicola Johnston, Aberdeen Inspired evening and night-time economy manager, said: “A vibrant and diverse night-time economy can boost tourism, attract people to live, work and invest in the area and drive forward regeneration.
“The Night-Time Commission will act as an advisory panel, established to ensure the continuous development of the night-time economy in Aberdeen City Centre. This is a big step forward for the sector and provides both a platform and supportive network.
“Our vision is inclusive of the traditional night-time economy bars, nightclubs, restaurants and also extends beyond to include culture and leisure venues, retailers, beauty and wellbeing. A part of this will be focussing on merging traditional day and night economy to expand our offering in a step towards a 24 hour city.”
Key objectives of the commission include recognising future trends, being a voice for current and emerging industry challenges and exploring opportunities to enhance the night-time economy, as well as increasing footfall, dwell time and spend of patrons.
