00:00We're hosting over 2,000 delegates here at the Nighttime Economy Summit, which is
00:05an incredible moment for Birmingham in the West Midlands. We're welcoming
00:08visitors from over 20 countries, we've got 265 speakers. Most importantly, for
00:14the next 48 hours, the eyes of the NCEA industry in the UK and Europe are on
00:19Birmingham in the West Midlands, so it's an incredible moment as a shop window to
00:23show off what we've got, but also to facilitate and enable conversations.
00:27The summit showcases Birmingham's role in the nighttime economy, but for many it
00:31also highlights the challenges facing venues and live music spaces.
00:36Yeah, compared to when we started, you know, the circuit has been decimated, you know.
00:43I mean, COVID didn't help, but before that it was going downhill anyway,
00:48you know. The whole industry has changed and, you know, that
00:54way of promoting yourself has disappeared. The decline of grassroots
00:58venues has been ongoing, with COVID only making things worse. Many in the industry
01:03believe councils and government must step in to prevent further closures.
01:08Government councils need to support the venues, they need to support and help
01:14those venues survive, you know. There was no help during COVID and so many
01:22independent places went down, went under, because there was no help, you know.
01:27You need help. Support for nightlife isn't just about saving venues. From artists and
01:32promoters to hospitality staff and suppliers, the sector plays a vital role
01:36in local economies, cultural life and communities. It isn't just the bricks and
01:42mortar of clubs and venues, there is a whole supply chain and a whole set of
01:45cultural commissioning and artistic excellence that forms part of the
01:49night-time economy, so we need to treat it with the importance, significance and
01:55contribution to our society that it provides.
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