lan D Miller, Chairman of the recently formed Night Time Industries Association, which brings together bars, venue owners, club promoters and DJ representatives, has called on the government and other authoritiies to be careful when looking at new regulations, practices and laws which affect the entertainment sector. Miller said: "We have seen that, despite fears ten years ago that 24 hour licensing would lead to crime and disorder, a new report from the Institute Of Economic Affairs demonstrates that crime has decreased and late night licensing has spread the offering available and contributed to a better environment for leisure, entertainment and our cities. This is a time to celebrate - not to regulate".Having had his own experiences running a venue, and noting other issues that some clubs and promoters have faced in the last year, Miller went on: "If people in Britain want to go out and enjoy themselves after 10pm, there are increasing obstacles" saying "The latest is the wholly misguided concept of breathalysing citizens outside clubs, football stadiums and even McDonalds in Cambridge. We at The NTIA believe British citizens are decent and on the whole well behaved - as the evidence proves - and visitors to the UK are too. It's time to champion the night time industries and to stop these wrong practices".
Miller says that the NTIA hopes "that licensing authorities take on board the recent good news [about a booming night time sector] - and indeed the massive contribution that the UK operators, owners, promoters, DJs and other entrepreneurs and workers make to local economies and indeed the UK's GDP".
Meanwhile, addressing potential new members for the BTIA he said: "We need our fellow owners and operators to sign up with us so that we can be an even stronger voice in the UK. We are the cauldron and conduit of creativity - and we must protect the dancefloor".
