Glasgow has a new Night-Time Commission – an independent panel of experts recruited to drive forward the city’s night-time economy.
To be chaired by Mike Grieve, managing director of Glasgow’s Sub Club and chair of the Scottish Night Time Industries Association, the new commission aims to ‘provide leadership for Glasgow’s after dark industry, lobby for change across the sector and work collaboratively with Glasgow City Council and other stakeholders to grow Glasgow’s night time economy’.
Members of the new commission include Fiona Ellis from DF Concerts; Katie Duffy, head of art and music at Glasgow Life; Stephen McGowan, head of Licensing at TLT LLP; and representatives from sectoral stakeholders including Music Venues Trust.
Other local representative bodies will be added in due course.
Members of this new commission gathered at a launch event at the Art House Hotel in Glasgow yesterday (Monday, July 13) with the leader of Glasgow City Council, Susan Aitken, in attendance.
The newly formed Night-Time Commission will be supported by the creation of a new post, Glasgow night-time economy manager, described as a first for Scotland, who will be recruited by Glasgow City Council to act as a key link between the commission and other stakeholders to ensure action plans are delivered upon.
Councillor Aitken expressed her delight over what she said was ‘a watershed moment’ for Glasgow’s night-time economy.
“Glasgow’s after dark industry is the life and soul of the city. No-one can possibly underestimate the importance of our night-time offer to Glasgow, whether that’s culturally, socially or economically.
“The creation of a Night-Time Commission ensures an industry that’s vital for the well-being of the city now has its own dedicated champion to push for change.
“In true Glasgow style, there’s a collective spirit to the new commission that I believe will serve the city extremely well,” said Aitken. “Every member of the commission has made a great commitment to the city by stepping forward for the greater good of Glasgow’s nightlife.
“The creation of the new post of Night-Time Economy Manager underlines the council’s own commitment to Glasgow’s night-time economy and we are now at the start of what will be an enduring partnership with the new commission.
“We share a common goal of a confident, innovative and thriving night-time economy that ensures Glasgow is recognised globally for its fantastic nightlife.”
Both the Night-time Commission and Night-time Economy Manager were key recommendations of the strategy for Glasgow’s after dark sector that was produced through the Night-Time Economy Sub-Group of Glasgow’s City Centre Taskforce, which involved wide representation from Glasgow’s night-time sector.
Mike Grieve led the City Centre Taskforce group that produced the new strategy, Nightshift Glasgow, following extensive research and engagement with key stakeholders in Glasgow nightlife by Make Associates, experts in the field of NTE management worldwide.
Grieve said: “The NTE Sub Group of the City Centre Task Force has been working over the last two and a half years to develop a strategy for the advancement of Glasgow’s night time economy, with a focus on the after dark experience in the city centre.
“This group is an amalgamation of industry professionals and other stakeholders including public and third sector bodies.
“After extensive consultation, the Sub Group’s primary recommendations include establishing a permanent commission to oversee Glasgow’s NTE and creating the position of a NTE Manager for the city.
“It is truly exciting that we have now reached the stage where we are able to announce the next stage of this initiative and we look forward with enthusiasm to putting in place the building blocks which will drive forward this vision for nightlife in the city,” said Grieve.
“There are many components to the new NTE strategy, but already we have seen significant developments in terms of new transport initiatives and other recommended actions which will help to promote the fantastic nightlife that Glasgow is so renowned for.
“Glasgow City Council has put its money firmly where its mouth is in allocating significant budget to appoint a full time officer and establish the permanent commission to manage the emerging strategy.
“I have no doubt this resource will prove to be money very well spent for the whole of our city centre, and especially for the vital hospitality, music, arts and entertainment sector which brings so much cultural identity and value to Glasgow.”
An initial focus for the Commission will be to develop an action plan that seeks to implement the findings of the Nightshift Glasgow strategy.
Councillor Angus Millar, co-chair of Glasgow’s City Centre Taskforce and City Convener, said: “Glasgow has a superb night-time offer and the ambition to become a globally recognised 24-hour city.
“The Night-Time Commission and the new night manager will help Glasgow’s night-time economy reach its full potential.”
Chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, Mike Kill, added: “It’s fantastic to see Glasgow take this huge leap forward in establishing the new NTE Commission and creating a full time NTE manager role which will be vital to the development of the city’s night time and hospitality offer.
“Glasgow has been punching well above its weight for a very long time, and it’s great for the sector now to have the tools to take the next step in the evolution of the city as a world class hospitality, entertainment and music destination.”
In Glasgow City Council’s budget for the 2026-27, the council allocated £100k to support the delivery of the forthcoming Night Time Action Plan.
