'Use it or lose is': Birmingham night-life workers issue stark warning to council
They say council cuts have contributed to a lack of growth in the sector.
Leaders in Birmingham's night-time industry are blaming council cuts for a lack of growth in the city's night life.
A Night Time Economy Summit was held just last week with leaders from the night time economy heading to the city to discuss the industry's future.
It was a chance for hospitality owners to meet with the local authority to discuss the issues they are facing which are limiting growth in the sector.
How safe is Birmingham for a night out?
Jack Brabant from the Digbeth Dining Club told us that often people do not feel safe on a night out in Birmingham, which he put down to cuts in council services.
"So many businesses in the city rely on transportation. I feel like Birmingham is becoming an anti-car city, but the council is not putting any public transport in place to replace it with.
"Even turning down street lights is making people feel unsafe. Especially as one of the things we care about most is women's safety," he said.
"If we do not use them, we will lose them"
However, Jack reassured that Birmingham does have the potential for an impressive night-life.
"It is going through a bit of a tough time but we need to get out there. We have some fantastic independent businesses, like in Stirchley.
"If we do not use them, we will lose them because it is tough out there," he said.
What does Birmingham's night life have to offer?
Michael Kill is the Chief Executive for the Night Time Industry's Association who organised the Night Time Economy Summit in Birmingham.
He told us that over 1100 people visited each day of the summit from over 20 countries.
Michael said the summit showed that Birmingham has potential:
"People have got to recognise that Birmingham is hugely rich in night-life. We want to encourage other people to come to Birmingham, that is why we asked them to host the summit.
"It is extremely diverse, there is such a variety of audiences in Birmingham. The biggest thing I have learnt is the range of different foods in the city, which I think should be celebrated more," he said.
What do Birmingham City Council say about Birmingham's night life?
Councillor Saima Suleman, Cabinet Member for Digital, Culture, Heritage & Tourism, said: “Birmingham has a thriving city centre with a great cultural, shopping and restaurant offer and with a buzzing nightlife, enjoyed by residents, workers and visitors. Latest visitor figures, for 2023, show the city received 47.5 million visitors.”
Councillor Majid Mahmood, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: “Birmingham has extremely good public transport links and is accessible for cycling and walking, but for those who need to drive it remains accessible, both to get into and get around.”