CLIENT: Northern Ireland Assembly
PROJECT: Night-Time Economy Conference
What were MAKE asked to do?
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved government for the north of Ireland. It wanted a partner to help devise the first ever event in Ireland, north or south, focusing on the night-time economy. In particular, they wished to bring external expertise to a country that had never had a strategic approach to managing towns and cities after dark.
How did MAKE do it?
Working with the client we helped them build an event programme that addressed both the general issues around the night-time economy (in which MAKE are experts), but also to address specific local issues in Northern Ireland, such as policing divided communities, more restrictive licensing laws and addressing the vast differences between the capital - Belfast - and the predominantly rural nature of the remaining towns.
We brought together over 100 participants from across Northern Ireland, including the Police Service of Northern Ireland, trade bodies, operators, councils and civil society groups for the first time.
We focused the event programme on two themes. The first was ‘informing’ participants about the potential of the night-time economy (economics, tourism, social cohesion). The second was ‘solutions’ – working together to address issues that currently prevent the country from better growing its unique, friendly and high quality evening and night-time offer.
MAKE delivered a keynote speech to open the conference and to inspire those present to think beyond traditional policies, practices and to overcome barriers to creating a world class ‘after dark’ brand – one that matches the globally renowned south but which harnesses the north’s unique features.
What happened next?
The event is cited as the ‘tipping point’, when the country “woke up” it’s night-time economy. A set of recommendations were drafted and presented to the Assembly’s various departments and public agencies, including recommendations for:
1. A review to modernise the licensing laws (now complete)
2. Policing the night-time economy to make it more inclusive
3. Animating towns and its cities from 5pm to 8pm
4. Ensuring the evening and leisure offer was included in the national tourism strategy (it now features prominently in global media destination marketing campaigns).
What unique value did MAKE bring to this project?
MAKE’s involvement in co-developing the Purple Flag best practice scheme in Britain allowed us to bring it together with Northern Ireland and since then several towns and cities in the north of the island have been awarded Purple Flag status.