Bristol, UK – November 18, 2024 – Leaders from Bristol’s night time economy will be joined by protagonists and innovators across the UK and beyond for Design the Night: a night safety summit on November 28, 2024.
Hosted by Bristol Nights and taking place at Prysm, Canon’s Road, Design the Night invites nightlife businesses, local government, academics, students, workers, and anyone who is involved in or enjoys nightlife to collaborate on building a safe, inclusive, and sustainable nightlife culture.
This free-to-attend event, has a packed schedule of interactive sessions, aiming to engage participants in the topics reshaping UK cities after dark. From night safety and harm reduction, urban design and mental health, to the leading edge of inclusive spaces, nightlife culture and business innovation. Design the Night’s program is designed to be highly collaborative (like nightlife) and to spark conversation, inspire new ways of working, celebrate the sector, and connect people through networking opportunities.
The best of Bristol’s nightlife will be leading the conversation and will be joined by leaders in night time economy policy from across the UK in discussions on safeguarding night culture, enhancing inclusivity, and exploring ways to protect and evolve Bristol’s vibrant nightlife.
“As Bristol’s nightlife continues to grow, so does our responsibility to ensure it remains a positive force for our community,” said Carly Heath, Bristol’s Night Time Economy Advisor. “Design the Night is an opportunity for Bristol to celebrate the unseen work behind the scenes in nightlife, as we draw stakeholders from across sectors together to explore innovative solutions in creating a night that all can enjoy.”
Hosted at one of the city’s iconic venues, Design the Night will bring together leading voices, including representatives from business, licensing, harm reduction, public health, urban planning, and the creative sector.
Attendees will take part in sessions that emphasise actionable strategies, including ‘Inspiration from the Nation’ hosted by the Night Time Industry Association, where leaders from the UK’s founding night offices will come together to discuss strategies from Cork, Belfast, London, West Midlands and Manchester.
‘Nightlife to Net Zero’ will address the specific sustainability challenges the night time economy faces, in an interactive workshop led by event industry trailblazer Poppy Stephenson. Dr Anna Rutherford will chair a panel discussion exploring how urban planning impacts nightlife, joined by Michelle Acuto, Dr Ellie Cosgrave, Alex Hearn, Director of Economy and Place at Bristol City Council, and Nicola Beech, Labour Candidate. The panellists will be exploring how the urban environment after dark and how local government, architects and urban planners can create safer urban spaces after dark.
For Carly Heath and the summit’s supporters, including local organisations and national partners, the aim is to catalyse the UK’s vision of a dynamic, resilient night time country that aligns with its unique character. “Bristol is a city that thrives on creativity and collaboration,” Heath added. “Through this summit, we hope to harness that energy to build a night time economy that prioritises safety, diversity, and community wellbeing.”
When people think of the night, they often also think of safety. Bristol Nights works collaboratively across stakeholders to advocate for best practices and elevate the night. Nightlife works tirelessly on creating welcoming spaces, and this event is a celebration of their work with a chance to hear from those at the cutting edge of night policy from across the UK.
The Design the Night Summit from Bristol Nights is supported by Bristol City Council, Office of Police and Crime Commissioner, Bristol City Centre BID, West of England Combined Mayoral Authority, Bristol Drugs Project, Bristol Women’s Voice, Bristol University and UWE alongside other influential partners committed to preserving and enhancing the quality of nightlife.
For more information and to register, visit https://www.bristolnights.co.uk/dtn. Updates are available via Instagram @BristolNightsHQ.
