Night-time Research

For a long time the night-time economy was something that people mostly argued about from opposing positions: it was either a problem that needed fixing or it needed to be left alone to get on with its furtive nocturnal business. Our view is that whilst there is some validity in both of these positions, such totalising perspectives are often based on out of date beliefs and misconceptions; positions that the evidence and best practice simply don’t support anymore.

Building a strong evidence base about the costs and benefits of the night-time city, the views of residents and businesses, and evaluating the impact of night-time projects has been an area we have pioneered. We build research programmes using diverse qualitative and quantitative methodologies as the basis of night-time policy and strategy. From focus groups with disabled citizens about night-time accessibility, to large-scale user experience surveys of night-time city based on stratified samples; from observational studies with a dozen field researchers out on the town until 4am, to charrettes with 100+ participants, we use the right methods to answer the question.

Below are some of the research projects we’ve most enjoyed staying up late for…

London Borough of Hounslow: Cumulative Impact Assessment 2023

MAKE’s crime analysis alongside meaningful community engagement allowed Hounslow councillors to decide in confidence on whether to retain its Cumulative Impact Assessment areas.

Westminster City Council: Soho NightHub and Angels Evaluation

Westminster have designed and built the most comprehensive nightlife ‘safe space’ in the UK, in fact, probably anywhere in the world. They asked MAKE to evaluate its impact.

Village Underground - EartH / Hackney Arts Centre: Community Engagement Programme

Village Underground wanted to turn a forgotten and pigeon-infested art deco cinema into London’s most progressive arts venue. We were asked to find out what the community thought.  

Private Client: London Night-time BIDs Review

We were asked by a major landowner to examine a selection of business improvement districts (BIDs) to assess what they were doing to support their night-time economies.

Labtech: Hawley Wharf Community Engagement Programme 

Hawley Wharf is the largest development in the history of Camden Town and its owners wanted to know what people really thought of the new plans. They weren’t backwards in coming forward.

Blackpool Business Improvement District: Mid Term Review

Blackpool BID has a strong contingent of nightlife members and it wanted to know how it was delivering mid-term and what the priorities were for the next 5 years. It asked MAKE to find out.

Pubwatch: Pubwatch Impact Toolkit

MAKE were asked by National PubWatch to build a toolkit that showed local PubWatch schemes how to source data and interpret it to help them measure the impact of their PubWatch on their town. 

Lancashire County Council: Libraries of the Future

Lancashire wanted to bring its libraries into the 21st Century. They asked us how. We said put on some gigs after dark They did. It worked. Libraries were always cool, but now they are the coolest. 

City of Sydney Council: Night Transport - A Comparative Study of Sydney, New York & London

Transit is key to the night-time economy. Sydney asked us to find out how its after dark transport compared to other world cities. 

Bedford Borough Council: Licensing Policy Rewrite 2023-27

MAKE drafted a concise, robust and up-to-date Statement of Licensing Policy for Bedford to cover the next five years.

Labtech: Hawley Wharf Impact Study and Camden NTE Placemaking

Hawley Wharf is almost a billion pounds worth of mixed-use development in Camden Town. However, it sits within a challenging environment. Owners Labtech asked MAKE how to improve the town’s ENTE. 

Portman Group / Local Alcohol Partnerships Group: UK Safe Space Toolkit

MAKE were asked to produce a practical toolkit for anyone setting up a new safe space. We are excited that Westminster were the first to use it as the template for its Soho Angels.  

Labtech: Buck Street Market - Community Engagement

Buck Street was a popular but tired retail market in Camden. Owners Labtech asked MAKE to research community feeling towards its plans to regenerate the site and open it into the evening. 

Local Alcohol Partnerships Group / UK Home Office: Local Alcohol Action Areas 2 Programme Support

Having expertise in safe spaces, MAKE was asked if we could help some of the country’s best safe spaces deliver even better care and support to the those using the NTE. 

London’s Leading Late-Night Venue Operator: Analysis of Crime Hotspots in London’s West End

We were asked to analyse why certain nightlife venues appear frequently as problems premises in police records when the management has no evidence of problems (Hint: it’s to do with police recording). 

Oldham Health Authority: Oldham Alcohol Strategy

Oldham NHS wanted an independent specialist to create their first alcohol strategy. They asked MAKE to create an inclusive process where all stakeholders could contribute.

London Borough of Hounslow: Ethnographic study of street drinking and nte

Hounslow wanted to understand the extent of street drinking in the borough, so it asked MAKE to undertake this hugely sensitive project.  

Best Bar None: Town Centre Night-Time Economy Toolkit

We worked with BBN to create an evaluation toolkit that each local scheme could use to evidence impact. It had to be simple and easy to use.

Portman Group / Local Alcohol Partnerships Group: UK Safe Space Study

There has been a growth in ‘safe space’ schemes proving medical and pastoral care to the vulnerable in the NTE. MAKE was asked to conduct the first national study of these schemes.  

MHCLG / NABMA: Love Your Local Market Evaluation

With our friends at retail market specialists, ROI Team, we were asked by MCHLG and NABMA to evaluate the impact of the Love Your Local Market project supported by the government.

Bedford Borough Council: Cumulative Impact Assessment and Licensing Policy Review

MAKE’s night-time crime analysis and community engagement gave Bedford councillors the confidence to make big changes after dark.

Private Client: Appraisal of Westminster Licensing Policy

A venue operator was frustrated that, despite being in a low crime area, they were prevented from opening later. They asked MAKE to take a look at the facts.  

Major West End Leisure Operator: Tackling Touting in London’s West End

Touting for nightclub entry is a blight on London’s West End. It can be aggressive and a rip off. Yet the authorities have failed to tackle it. An operator wanted to know the extent of the problem and who was responsible.

Norwich City Council: City Centre After Dark Evidence Review

Norwich has a great diversity of nightlife. However, it suffers between 5pm and 8pm from an exodus of workers. Norwich asked MAKE to see what it could change to make it come alive after five. 

MHCLG: Town Centres After Dark - Futurecasting

The government asked MAKE to write a report about what the future of the city at night would look like. What did and what didn’t we see coming?