At the Scrutiny Committee meeting on 1 July 2025, the Committee requested an update on the Council’s work to support the nighttime economy.

Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Planning and Culture, and Diana Fawcett, City Centre Manager, will be in attendance to present the presentation and answer questions.

The Committee is asked to consider the presentation and agree any recommendations.

Councillor Powell resumed the role of Chair for the remainder of the meeting.  

At the Scrutiny Committee meeting on 1 July 2025, the Committee requested an update on the Council’s work to support the nighttime economy. 

Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Planning and Culture, and Diana Fawcett, City Centre Manager, were present to respond to questions. 

Councillor Hollingsworth provided a comprehensive introduction to the report and explained that the council works hard to identify ways in which it can facilitate, encourage, and fix aspects of the nighttime economy in Oxford. The importance of creativity when supporting all groups in Oxford was emphasised.  

The City Centre Manager guided the Committee through the presentation contained within the agenda pack.  

The Chair invited questions from the Committee. 

 
Councillor Latif left the meeting and did not return. 

Councillor Ottino questioned the geographical focus of the work so far, noting that it perhaps excluded locations which could offer beneficial opportunities for the nighttime economy, such as some industrial spaces. 

Councillor Jarvis queried the number of venues hosting live music and the regularity of these events. Secondly, he asked how far up the Cowley Road the audit surveyed and lastly, Councillor Jarvis emphasised that the capacity of each venue must be considered.  

In response to Councillor Ottino, Councillor Hollingsworth welcomed the suggestion that a broader geographical area could be considered, however explained that the initial audit had been completed with limited resources and therefore, consideration was paid to what workload was feasible. Councillor Hollingsworth noted that the intention would be to identify next steps and focus points before expanding the workload. In response to Councillor Jarvis, it was noted that the capacity of venues is also an important consideration to ensure that more people can attend live music events.  

 
In response to Councillor Jarvis, the City Centre Manager welcomed the suggestion to focus on the capacity of venues. In relation to regular live music, the Committee heard of the challenges officers experienced in finding venues which easily advertise their events. For the purposes of the audit, regular live music was classified as those events which takes place at least once a month in pubs, bars and nightclubs; this did not include theatres which had been analysed in their own category. Furthermore, clarification on the geographical areas covered within the audit was provided.  

The Chair invited further questions. 

Councillor Miles requested a definition of the nighttime economy and emphasised that it should consider a distinction between activities for adults, families, and children. Secondly, Councillor Miles asked how the impacts of the nighttime economy on residents are being assessed, specifically environmental factors and noise.  

The City Centre Manager explained that whilst the audit had heavily focused on live music, it did also consider all forms of nighttime activity including events at libraries and museums; work going into the assessment of future opportunities for families and those under 18 at these venues was outlined. The Committee heard that analysis of existing licenses was not undertaken as licence conditions  ...  view the full minutes text for item 112