EARLIER this week, in a passionate appeal, the Scottish Beer and Pub Association (SBPA), Scotland’s leading trade body representing brewers and large pub companies, demanded that Glasgow and Edinburgh follow Manchester and London’s lead, and appoint high profile Night Tsars to champion the industry and help drive the post-pandemic recovery of their night time economies.

The SBPA president, Andrew Lawrence said: “As we come out of the pandemic, there must be a path to recovery”. In sticking his head above the parapet, he condemned the Scottish Government's cautious approach during the pandemic and the extremely damaging festive shutdown which resulted “in a £1 billion economic hit for the sector” which threatened the livelihoods of over 100,000 people. He suggested that “appointing industry champions to stick up for the industry and help local and national government understand the challenges we face is what is needed for it to build back.”

These demands were cautiously welcomed by all of Scotland’s trade bodies and many politicians.

Leon Thomson of UKHospitality Scotland, said: “We work really well with London and Manchester tsars and in both cases it is a genuinely collaborative approach, coming from a premise of how to support, improve and make the night time economies more inclusive and accessible.”

But guardedly, he added: “Generally, they are a good thing but there needs to be a clear proactive strategy too."

Paul Waterson of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association concurred. He said: “We agree in principle with the appointment of “Hospitality Champions.” The challenge though comes with the details behind any appointment – its remit and job description”

Labour MSP Pauline McNeil was supportive of the idea. She said: “The NTE is a vital industry and major employer, which now more than ever needs champions and recognised industry voices to help aid its recovery”. LibDem MSP Willie Rennie said: “Edinburgh and Glasgow are famous for their nightlife, so following London and Manchester could help drive this forward and make sure these industries are heard."

Encouragingly, Sacha Lord, Manchester’s venerated festival supremo, who in 2018 was appointed by Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, as the city’s night time economy advisor. A role he excelled at and carried out with aplomb. He successfully championed Manchester’s ailing hospitality sector and was credited with reviving that great city’s night time economy. He tweeted that he would be “really up for working with city councils in Scotland, to show them how it works”.

An offer I hope is grabbed by both hands by our city councils. I should, though, point out that in 2019 Glasgow City Council's newly set up Glasgow Night-Time Economy Commission had already decided to replicate Manchester’s model. One where a chosen advisor, backed by a panel of experts, would champion the city’s licensed trade and night time economy to boost footfall and trade. In May of that year, SNP council leader Susan Aitken announced plans to introduce a night time commissioner.

Regrettably, those plans came to nothing, and the pandemic put paid to any chance of them being resurrected, with not one meeting of the commission, even by Zoom, taking place in all that time. But as Mike Grieves of the NTIA, the trade body instrumental in setting the commission up, pointed out “there is now a clear need to resuscitate the Glasgow NEC and ultimately instigate the same thing in Edinburgh. A Night Time Commissioner, a Night Tsar or Night Mayor is a role that should be developed given the huge importance to our city of nightlife culture and the late-night economy.”

I agree, especially given the huge challenges the sector faces. We should remember that this role is not a panacea but with employment levels well below pre-pandemic levels, and dramatic falls in footfall, trade, and rising costs and supply chain issues blighting any recovery, now is definitely the time to revisit this idea.

That said, guarantees must be given that any commissioners would be able to operate with a degree of autonomy, be fully funded and supported in their decision-making by both council and government. Not as the trade fears, micro managed, silenced and controlled.

Will it be Night Mayors or further nightmares for this struggling sector? Well let’s hope it’s the former, that really would be champion.

Donald MacLeod is MD of Holdfast Entertainment Group and live music promoters CPL