A council cross-party group has been set up to review Luton’s night-time town centre night life and activities to help improve the experience for residents, workers and visitors.
At a council Overview and Scrutiny Committee late last year it was agreed that a Task and Finish Group be set up to help develop a night-time economy plan. Councillor Stephens (Lib Dem) was elected Chair and members were elected from the political groups represented on the council.
The group is also made up of representatives selected for their expertise and so far include; The Executive Dean of the University of Bedfordshire Business School, the CEO of the Night Time Industries Association and a representative from Luton Business Investment District.
A Night-Time Economy Plan will align with wider plans and strategies within the Luton 2040 vision, including the Town Centre Delivery Plan and the Visitor Economy Strategy. It will also look to maximise the opportunities from new developments within the Town Centre such as The Stage and Power Court.
Once evidence has been gathered through engagement with stakeholders, residents, from site visits and research a report will be produced with recommendations.
Councillor Stephens Chair of Night-Time Economy Task and Finish Group said: “We are lucky to have great venues with live music like The Bear Club and The Castle, and also events at the Hat Factory and we also have a great food offer.
“But we want to see how things can be improved with lots to do and a friendly environment for families and visitors.
“We will shortly be carrying out extensive consultations with residents, stakeholders and businesses and we will be asking people think about their experience of Luton at night”.
To find out what residents think about their experience of the town centre a four week public consultation will begin next month on the council’s consultation portal luton.gov.uk/letstalk. There will also be in person consultation events at visible locations. The group will also engage with key stakeholders in the town centre.
The Task and Finish Group will also visit best practice authorities with similar demographics to Luton to view how their night-time economy is managed.
The findings from the review will be shared with stakeholders before the final report and recommendations are presented to the council’s Executive.
Be the first to comment