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 do not necessarily correlate with what a venue is being used for and what it has on offer in practice. The City Centre Manager explained that future work would look at impacts on residents.  

Councillor Hollingsworth emphasised that it should be aimed for people who visit and live in Oxford to use the evenings to socialise and explore what the city has to offer.   

The Chair invited further questions. 

Councillor Jarvis asked whether a broader focus could be paid to offering live music more inclusively, and in scenarios which do not involve the sale of alcohol. Councillor Jarvis also queried whether the Council could work with promoters to support grassroots live music and whether alternative venues could be considered to support increased capacity for live music events. Finally, it was asked what could be done to support the safety of nighttime economy staff during their journey home. 

Councillor Hollingsworth encouraged innovative and more inclusive approaches to supporting the commercial elements of the nighttime economy and recognised the challenges venues can face. In relation to supporting live music promoters, Councillor Hollingsworth noted his support for major events and developing relationships with the industry but also recognised that there is a shortage of space and land, and flexible approaches would be required. In relation to the safety of nighttime economy staff, engaging with venues and promoters was emphasised and the importance of addressing associated risks was acknowledged.  

The City Centre Manager noted that promoters would be considered within the live music taskforce which is being established by the Council and details regarding ongoing work with the police in relation to the nighttime economy and staff safety were noted. The Committee heard that public transport must be considered in relation to staff commuting at night.  

The Chair asked if alternative venues that are not focused on alcohol sales, such as cafes, could be more heavily encouraged in Oxford to promote accessibility; questions of resourcing were raised. Additionally, the Chair queried whether work has gone into liaising with local media outlets to promote the nighttime economy and to develop partnerships. Finally, the potential use of AI for collecting relevant data for the audit was suggested.  

 
The Scrutiny and Governance Advisor left the meeting.  

Councillor Hollingsworth supported the Chair’s suggestion and emphasised that a nighttime economy that is broadly inclusive for all must be aspired towards; examples of how this could be done were noted. The consideration of minority groups was also emphasised to ensure everyone feels safe and welcome in the city at night. In relation to working with media outlets, Councillor Hollingsworth also welcomed the presence of grassroots media operators.  

The City Centre Manager acknowledged that caution must be taken around the use of AI but also noted the gap in the market.  

Councillor Jarvis suggested that council owned venues be more widely used for events within the nighttime economy.  

The Scrutiny and Governance Advisor rejoined the meeting. 

Councillor Miles, in relation to the Council’s camping strategy for the city’s parks, suggested that overnight events could be explored. The possibility of utilising the city’s river spaces was also suggested. Finally, Councillor Miles emphasised the need to be creative with the use of venue spaces whilst also considering noise impacts on residents. 

Councillor Hollingsworth noted that consideration of camping events would be within the remit of alternative council projects but appreciated that it was an interesting idea.  

The Chair invited the Committee to consider possible recommendations. 

The Committee resolved to recommend to Cabinet: 

1. That when considering the nighttime economy in relation to families and children, age groups are disaggregated into children up to age 11 and young people under 18. 

2. That the ongoing work maintains an open-minded approach to a wider range of nighttime activities, including bookshops, museums, the Covered Market, and other activities that are non-alcohol related. 

3. That late night cafés are categorised separately from other food-related venues. 

4. That consideration is given to include local promoters as part of the Live Music Taskforce. 

5. That the Council continues to engage with employers to identify how best to address the issues faced by workers travelling home late at night. 

6. That current analysis includes the capacity of venues, in addition to the number of venues. 

The Chair thanked the City Centre Manager and Councillor Hollingsworth.  

The City Centre Manager and Councillor Hollingsworth left the meeting and did not return.