A collective voice representing Bristol’s diverse night-time economy will be heard through the newly founded Bristol @ Night advisory panel.

Chaired by Head of Bristol Corporate SME at Bristol law firm Gregg Latchams Marti Burgess, the Bristol @ Night advisory has launched to bring together local people who work across the city’s unique and inclusive night life, from entertainment venues and bars through to the emergency services that keep everyone safe.

As more people choose to live centrally, the new panel will work to address some of the key challenges Bristol is facing as it grows to ensure the vitality and diversity of night-time activities are not only preserved, but also supported to expand and flourish.

This month’s panel launch at City Hall saw speakers from across the industry contributing their views and experiences, and community representatives were able to share their priorities and discuss recommendations for maintaining Bristol’s economic and cultural fabric which has been formed by night-time business and leisure activity.

The launch event also introduced the independent chair of the new panel, Marti Burgess, a solicitor who has been involved in the Bristol’s night time economy since the early 90s.

Chair of the panel Marti, a solicitor who has been involved in the Bristol’s night time economy since the early 90s, said:

“Bristol is a great city to live in and one of its best assets is its nightlife. It does not matter what age you are or what you are in to, Bristol caters for all with its great restaurants, bars, pubs and of course its fantastic nightclubs and live venues.

“All of this is underpinned by our anarchic approach to culture and creativity which has resulted in our rich and diverse music scene. Long may it continue, I see this panel as an important step to ensuring that those of us working within Bristol night time economy are heard when big decisions are being made about the development of the city.”

Cllr Nicola Beech, Cabinet Member for Spatial Planning and City Design at Bristol City Council, introduced the new initiative, which is independent from the council but its members will be empowered to feed into existing policies and strategies.

Cllr Beech said:

“Bristol is a massively successful cultural city – the bar is already set really high. We attract a wide spectrum of people, offering a unique, vibrant experience to visitors and our own residents. Protecting that character and vitality amid rapid change is challenging and requires collaboration with those who have helped shape Bristol’s successes so far.

“We are already taking positive steps forward as we review the council’s Local Plan and introduce the ‘agent of change’ principle, incorporating a new responsibility for addressing the impact of noise on developers to ensure they are implementing suitable noise protection in new city centre homes.

“We want to see our night-time economy flourish in the face of that change and I am convinced establishing a collective, independent voice will give us the right foundation to build from.

“This is not about creating a council led body; I hope this new panel will ensure wider voices are being heard on all matters concerning the night-time economy. We need to future proof our fantastic night life and put in place the right conditions for it to grow safely and authentically.”

To find out more about the Bristol @ Night advisory panel and how to get involved, email Cllr Beech at Cllr.Nicola.Beech@bristol.gov.uk.