Reimagine London judge and London Night Czar Amy Lamé talks about why she's excited to hear ideas about reimagining London to support its vibrant culture.

London has always been a forward-thinking city, with our iconic architecture and built environment setting the scene for our inclusive, vibrant capital. From St Paul’s to the Gherkin, Tate Modern to the Barbican, our dynamic technology and design manages to remain cutting edge and stand the test of time. This unique talent makes London the most inspirational- and endlessly fascinating- city in the world.

 

Our life at night is a key part of this, with our world class restaurants, bars, night clubs, theatres, night tube, and night buses famous across the world. However, the long-lasting impact of the pandemic and ongoing cost-of-living crisis has brought huge challenges for these industries and we’re continuing to do all we can to support our nightlife through these difficult times. We want the built environment at night to be a big part of our recovery, helping London bounce back at all hours. 

 

In London we have over 1.3million night workers, ranging from hospitality to health care and cleaning to transport. We have a duty to ensure London’s built environment works as well for them as it does for people who work through the day. 

 

The Reimagine London panel want to hear ideas about how we can improve life for those working at night and for the millions who are enthralled by London at night. Under Sadiq as Mayor, we’ve made great progress with our London Plan and have worked closely with boroughs across London to implement nighttime strategies. I’m excited to explore new opportunities and learn from around the world. 

 

I’d like to see entrants thinking about how we can improve access to green spaces at night, how we can drive footfall in our town centres after dark, the role better lighting can play to make our streets more vibrant and safer at night, and bring fresh ideas to keep London buzzing as the greatest city in the world. 

 

I’d love to hear from other women on what we can do to improve women’s safety in London at night; I’m keen to build on the work we are already doing in this area and make the capital even safer. No idea is too big- or small- and your contribution could make the world of difference. I can’t wait to read them!