Night-time Economy Research Articles

Társadalmi innováció a városi desztinációk versenyképességének szolgálatában. Fókuszban az éjszakai gazdaság hatásainak menedzselése

The development of the night-time economy has improved the destination competitiveness of many big cities. Income and tourism experiences, in particular, have been the most affected by this change. However, managing the potential negative impacts and harmonising the interests of stakeholders represent challenges. The purpose of this article is to show that a destination can only be competitive if it can serve the long-term well-being of both visitors and locals. In this research the authors provide an overview of the problems of the night-time economy and analyses the available solutions. Urban politics and local political forces are determinant factors that influence the management of a creative city. Furthermore, they focus on the solutions provided by social innovation. which involves the learning and cooperation of locals. In this paper, all these aspects are analysed in the context of Budapest's ruin pub quarter, which is nowadays the focus of debates as the negative effects of the night economy have not yet been effectively resolved. The impact of the night-time economy is examined through qualitative interviews in the quarter with locals and visitors to crystalize the most important issues and solutions as well as by mapping the characteristics of recent civil initiatives which are the driving force of social innovation due to the limited effectiveness of the measures of urban policies.

The \u2018Exposed\u2019 Population, Violent Crime in Public Space and the Night-time Economy in Manchester, UK

The daily rhythms of the city, the ebb and flow of people undertaking routines activities, inform the spatial and temporal patterning of crime. Being able to capture citizen mobility and delineate a crime-specific population denominator is a vital prerequisite of the endeavour to both explain and address crime. This paper introduces the concept of an exposed population-at-risk, defined as the mix of residents and non-residents who may play an active role as an offender, victim or guardian in a specific crime type, present in a spatial unit at a given time. This definition is deployed to determine the exposed population-at-risk for violent crime, associated with the night-time economy, in public spaces. Through integrating census data with mobile phone data and utilising fine-grained temporal and spatial violent crime data, the paper demonstrates the value of deploying an exposed (over an ambient) population-at-risk denominator to determine violent crime in public space hotspots on Saturday nights in Greater Manchester (UK). In doing so, the paper illuminates that as violent crime in public space rises, over the course of a Saturday evening, the exposed population-at-risk falls, implying a shifting propensity of the exposed population-at-risk to perform active roles as offenders, victims and/or guardians. The paper concludes with a discussion of the theoretical and policy relevance of these findings.

Nightlights as a Proxy Measure in an Economy

The night-time economy is increasingly being recognized as a driver of economic growth, but for it to succeed a broad range of professionals need to improve it. Whether you work in planning, health, economics, transport, the arts or property – the night-time economy can no longer be an afterthought. Leading research has suggested that night-time light can be used as a proxy for several variables, including urbanization, density, and economic growth. Scientists have been using satellite images of Earth at night — often referred to as “night lights” — to study human activity and natural events. In the past decade, economists have followed suit, clearing that night lights can help gauge economic growth, map poverty, analyze inequality, and tackle numerous questions otherwise impossible to answer, especially in places where data are lacking. If aliens were ever to approach Earth from its dark side, they would already know some basics about the global economy long before reaching our atmosphere.

Public Health V Alcohol Industry Compliance Laws: A Case of Industry Capture? (Author's Final Version Pre Submission Paper)

This article confirms industry compliance and enforcement processes are an essential consideration in the growing pantheon of legal and commercial determinants of public health. Whilst alcohol control laws vary between individual jurisdictions, their development and application are confronted by a common threat of undue industry influence or capture. This necessitates a greater understanding of this phenomenon to better inform a collective and effective international public health response. New South Wales (NSW) Australia, has developed a layer of alcohol industry compliance laws in the form of disciplinary schemes. This article critically explicates the first of these, the Violent Venues Scheme (VVS) to determine the nature and extent of any capture. This would significantly compromise harm minimisation statutory objects and disrupt the democratic process and the rule of law. In contrast, an influential industry identity, attributed the earlier last drinks laws, VVS and a related scheme as causing the alleged destruction of Sydney’s night time economy and fun. The research also analyses the indispensable role of a neoliberal paradigm in legitimising exclusive relationships between governments and industry. This is indelibly imprinted on the alcohol regulatory landscape. One resistant to evidence based public health orientated improvements.

A Balancing Act: Agency and Constraints in University Students' Understanding of and Responses to Sexual Violence in the Night-Time Economy.

This article extends our understanding of how university students make sense of, and respond to, sexual violence in the night-time economy (NTE). Based on semi-structured interviews with 26 students in a city in England, we examine students’ constructions of their experiences of sexual violence within the NTE, exploring their negotiations with, and resistance to, this violence. Building upon theories of postfeminism, we interrogate the possibilities for resistance within the gendered spaces of the NTE and propose a disaggregated conceptualization of agency to understand responses to sexual violence, thereby offering useful insights for challenging sexual violence in the NTE and in universities.

Evaluating harm-reduction initiatives in a night-time economy and music festival context

ABSTRACT Pubs, clubs, and music festivals are places characterised by increased alcohol consumption. Drinkaware, a UK alcohol awareness charity, delivered two crime-prevention initiatives designed to reduce alcohol-related harm among young adults: the “Drinkaware Crew” initiative implemented at night-time-economy (NTE) venues, and more recently, the Drinkaware “Festival Crew”. This paper uses mixed methods to present (a) an outcome evaluation of the societal impact of the “Drinkaware Crew” initiative using routinely collected data; and (b) a process evaluation examining the transferability of the “Drinkaware Crew” initiative to a music festival-context. Findings indicate that the Drinkaware Crew occupy a unique gap in existing NTE and festival infrastructures, however, a number of improvements to the data available are recommended to ensure that such initiatives are thoroughly evidence-based.

Governing the night-time city: The rise of night mayors as a new form of urban governance after dark

The urban night has traditionally been a regimented space characterised by strict policing and surveillance. Early research on the night-time economy documented the expansion of nightlife from a centrepiece of culture-led redevelopment strategies in post-industrial cities, to the introduction of a broad governance apparatus to manage the agglomeration of night-time activity. Over the past two decades, a new actor has emerged: more than 40 cities have appointed night mayors or individuals responsible for maintaining nocturnal vibrancy, while mediating between those who wish to work, party or sleep. This article summarises the results of a qualitative study that gathered information on the origins, propagation and geographic variations in the role to provide a first comprehensive look at this position. Data from 35 night mayors and night-time advocacy organisations from around the world revealed that, though cities differ greatly in their approach towards night-time infrastructure and regulation, there seems to be growing consensus on the need for permanent nocturnal governance structures. By encouraging greater dialogue and experimentation, these structures are challenging traditional approaches to urban governance and paving the way for a new wave of studies on the urban night.

The spatiality of men who go missing on a night out

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to quantify the risk of fatality for men who are reported missing following a night out. Additionally, the paper aimed to develop search heuristics to inform the development of search strategies, through an examination of the key geographical points involved in these cases.Design/methodology/approachCases were identified, and data collected, from online media sources supplemented with a request to UK police forces and a search of the UK Missing Persons Unit database. In total, 96 cases which occurred over a five-and-a-half-year period in the UK were included. The study compares the profile of fatalities that result from disappearances occurring in different types of geographical area. Location data were georeferenced allowing Euclidean distances between geographical locations to be generated.FindingsIn total, 60 per cent of disappearances lasting longer than 48 h resulted in fatality, rising to almost all cases after three days missing. In 89 per cent of cases bodies are recovered from water; 11 per cent on land after the individual died from a fall, hypothermia or a drugs overdose.Practical implicationsSearch strategies can be informed by a consideration of the type of area the person was socialising (high night-time economy through to rural areas) and the geography of subsequent sightings.Originality/valueIn focusing on the specific circumstances of a disappearance rather than an individual’s personal characteristics, the paper offers an innovative approach to understanding risk (i.e. what is the likelihood of a particular outcome occurring) and the development of heuristics for search strategies in missing person cases.

Sustainable and competitive nightlife district? – Management of overtourism in Budapest

THE AIMS OF THE PAPER The main objective of the paper is to answer a controversial question: How can a district that is inhabited by local residents, but is popular for touristsparticularly during nightlife, be sustainable in a city? This question has become crucial in Budapest, where local residents are demonstrating over the impacts of party tourism. In this context, the study aims to find out creative product development ideas to deal with the mass tourism activities. METHODOLOGY Data collection took place in District VII and comprised two surveys: one in Hungarian conducted to local residents and Hungarian visitors; and one in English conducted to foreign tourists. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were carried out in Budapest to experts in the field of tourism working in different areas. The gathered data was analyzed through closed coding. MOST IMPORTANT RESULTS In total, 574 questionnaires in Hungarian and 361 questionnaires in English were analyzed, together with 40 interviews. The findings show that tourists feel mainly attracted by the atmosphere and the ruin pubs of the nigh-time district. This phenomenon has led to huge concentrations of tourists and general concerns about cleanliness and safe. New product development integrating peripheral attractions to target specific segments of tourists is seen as a possible solution, as well as pricing strategies or the reduction of accommodation, transport and visitors’ carrying capacity. RECOMMENDATIONS The paper introduces definitions of the night-time economy and approaches to sustainable management of tourism in cities, as well as an analysis of the impacts of overtourism not only in District VII but in Budapest. The study identifies methods of coping with negative impacts of tourism and offers solutions to the management of overtourism. Based on the results, concrete visitor management solutions can be created to support widening the area of the tourism flow in Budapest and offer authentic experiences outside the core tourism area.

Persuasion architectures: Consumer spaces, affective engineering and (criminal) harm

Drawing together recent theoretical work from both within and beyond criminology, this article considers the role of strategically designed consumer spaces in eliciting potentially criminogenic and harmful dispositions and behaviours. First, the article introduces recent work in cultural geography and urban studies, which has drawn attention to the manipulation of affect through spatial design. Second, by way of example, the article considers how such strategies are deployed in three types of consumer environments: shopping malls and retail spaces; casinos and other gambling environments; and the so-called night time economy. Third, the article engages such developments theoretically. It is suggested we rethink the distinctions and interrelationships between human subjectivity and agency and the built environment. The implications of this proposed conceptual reorientation are explored—first, for our understandings of agency, intentionality, moral responsibility and political accountability; and second, for criminological thinking around embodied difference, power and exclusion.

Night-time mobilities and (in)justice in London: Constructing mobile subjects and the politics of difference in policy-making

The growing interest in urban night-time economies and night-time transport policies presents an important context in which to examine how mobility justice is conceived and operationalised in policy-making. Literature on transport exclusion and transport justice documents the disadvantages experienced by different social groups and advances theoretical frameworks for distributive justice and transport accessibility. However, this literature has rarely considered the politics of whether and how mobility difference is recognised and planned for in transport policy, including issues of deliberative justice (participation) and epistemic justice (knowledge production). To address these research gaps, this paper engages with Sheller's (2018) theorisation of mobility justice and critically analyses the construction of mobile subjects in policy discourse on night-time mobility. We analyse policy documents part of night-time policy for Greater London to examine the extent to which the differentiated night-time mobilities across social categories (gender, age, ethnicity, income, etc.) are recognised – in other words, how the ‘politics of difference’ play out in transport policy-making. Findings show that the discursive construction of mobile subjects in London's night-time policy distinguishes between workers, consumers, and transport users, yet, these broad categories poorly account for differentiated mobility needs and practices. Publicly available data on differentiated night-time mobilities in London does not inform current policy discourse, obscuring disadvantages experienced by different groups of people moving through the city at night, and thus limits the capacity of existing policy interventions to address mobility injustices. These findings reaffirm the need for transport research to move beyond distributive justice and accessibility analysis, towards exploring the potential of thinking about distributive and epistemic justice for challenging the status quo of transport policy.

‘Locker room talk’: male bonding and sexual degradation in drinking stories

This paper explores alcohol-related sexual storytelling. In a qualitative study of more than 100 male participants in the night-time economy in Norway, many told animated and cheerful stories laced with erotic excitement. However, a minority of men also told sex stories characterised by aggressive, belittling and degrading language. We propose that this minority of men may employ such locker room talk to: (i) achieve male bonding and intimacy, (ii) explore ambiguous and confusing sexual experiences and/or (iii) excuse sexual events characterised by overt aggression. We draw on theories of masculinity and homosociality and a narrative framework and show that for some men, sexual relationships with women are strongly influenced by their relations with other men. We discuss how these stories reflect degrading attitudes towards women and how they produce and legitimise sexual violence.

Book Review: Emily Nicholls,Negotiating Femininities in the Neoliberal Night-Time Economy

Book Review: Emily Nicholls,<i>Negotiating Femininities in the Neoliberal Night-Time Economy</i>

An observational study to examine how cumulative impact zones influence alcohol availability from different types of licensed outlets in an inner London Borough

ObjectivesCumulative impact zones (CIZs) are a widely implemented local policy intended to restrict alcohol availability in areas proliferated with licensed outlets. Limited previous research has questioned their effectiveness and suggested...

Alcohol consumption among university students in the night-time economy in the UK: A three-wave longitudinal study

BackgroundExcessive alcohol consumption is commonly reported in university/college students, and contributes to emerging peer-group relations. PurposeThis study aimed to provide up-to-date longitudinal data on students’ alcohol consumption patterns, and predictors of this, across a single academic year. MethodsA 3-wave study was conducted at a university in the UK. Participants reported their alcohol consumption patterns, along with perceptions of the social norms and behavioral expectations associated with attending licensed venues where alcohol is sold (the “night time economy”). Participants also reported their social identification with this environment. ResultsAround half of participants overall fell into the three higher alcohol-risk categories (moderate, high or hazardous drinking). A modest reduction in consumption was observed across the study. At each assessment point, males reported greater alcohol consumption in the preceding two months than females, while Year 4 students and those on graduate-entry programs reported the lowest consumption. Excessive alcohol consumption was regarded as largely normative within the night time economy, both descriptively (“what others do”) and injunctively (“what others approve of”). Social identification and norm perceptions, along with gender, year group, and intoxication and socialising expectations, were significantly associated with higher alcohol consumption at baseline. However, baseline consumption was the only variable significantly associated with alcohol use at the end of the academic year. ConclusionsMany students drink alcohol at potentially harmful levels, and norms and expectations supporting this consumption are prominent and stable. The findings support a targeted approach to intervention that accounts for heterogeneity in the student population.

Drinking comfortably? Gender and affect among Danish pre-partiers

BackgroundThe aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between youthful drinking practices and gender within the domestic pre-party (prior to a night out), an arena, which has been relatively ignored in existing qualitative research on youthful alcohol use. An examination of the relationships between gender and drinking practices in this context is important for three reasons. First, pre-parties are associated with heavy drinking, which has traditionally been associated with masculinity. Second, because pre-drinking takes place in the private sphere of the home, it is therefore ‘controlled’ in terms of who can participate and hence what precisely is the gender composition. Third, whilst being located in the private sphere of the home, pre-party practices are nevertheless informed by the (hyper) gendered environments of public drinking spaces in the Night-Time Economy (NTE), most dominantly mainstream clubs and bars. We suggest that such characteristics allow for the emergence of specific gendered relationships, activities and affectivities, thereby demarcating the pre-party as a particular gendered drinking space. MethodsWe draw on narrative data from 140 in-depth face-to-face interviews with young Danish alcohol users between 18–25 years of age. The interviews were part of a large-scale research project on the gendered aspects of youthful alcohol use and intoxication. Theoretically, we draw on a combination of the ‘doing gender’ paradigm (West & Zimmerman, 1987) and affect theoretical notions on (un)comfortability (Ahmed, 2014). We propose that these perspectives mark out the pre-party as a particularly gendered drinking space. ResultsWhile our analysis supports the observation of existing qualitative studies, that pre-partying is not merely motivated by the possibility of becoming intoxicated in a cheap and un-surveilled way before going out, we especially argue that pre-partying is fueled by a desire for 'comfortability', which seems almost impossible to disassemble from the gendering that pre-partying also entails. Our analysis therefore contributes to the ongoing academic discussion around the relationship between ‘intoxicated femininity’ and ‘intoxicated masculinity’ by suggesting that we need to take the affective implications of young people’s (gendered) drinking practices into account in a thorough discussion of the relationship between youthful alcohol use and gender.

Grafting: “the boyz” just doing business? Deviant entrepreneurship in street gangs

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to attempt to disseminate street gang research by Hesketh (2018) that has identified young people’s perceptions between employment and criminality in areas of Merseyside becoming blurred. In particular, disenfranchised young males are turning to involvement with drug dealing street gangs as a substitute for employment.Design/methodology/approachThe research involved the use of a hybrid design using an adapted version of Wengraf’s (2001) biographic narrative interpretive method as the means for data collection with Strauss and Corbin’s (1995) grounded theory approach as the means of analysis.FindingsSuch is the demand for Class A drugs in night-time economies that street gangs in areas close to such economies are adding a dark business-like dimension for which Hesketh (2018) has termed “Deviant Entrepreneurship”. This can range from selling drugs on behalf of adult organised crime figures (known on the streets of Liverpool as “grafting”) to self-employment as sole trading deviant group enterprises having several “grafts” that recent research by Robinson, McLean and Densley (2018) has noted, has extended into the annals of Criminal Child Exploitation.Research limitations/implicationsData were derived from a sample of young males, thus, no observations can be made about females involved in gangs.Practical implicationsThe research highlights the need for more gang interventions that focus on building opportunities within marginalised areas. It also suggests as Andell (2019) points out a need for a fresh approach to countering gang culture.Social implicationsThe paper concludes by suggesting that Merseyside is only one in many marginalised areas of the UK facing a similar problem as young people involved in street gangs attempt to realise their potential not through legitimate employment means but through dark entrepreneurial techniques learnt from older peers and adult figures.Originality/valueThe findings are taken from a PhD thesis by Robert F. Hesketh University of Chester.

‘I feel like I have to become part of that identity’: Negotiating femininities and friendships through alcohol consumption in Newcastle, UK

Whilst women’s excessive alcohol consumption has traditionally been regarded as a potential threat to health, safety and even femininity, recent research highlights the important role that alcohol plays in many young women’s lives. Drawing on data from semi-structured interviews with women aged 18–25 in Newcastle, UK, this paper will consider the role that alcohol can play in the negotiation of female friendships in the Night Time Economy, highlighting the ways in which young women may regard alcohol as a tool to enhance socialising, trust and intimacy (both when pre-drinking and in bars, pubs and clubs). The role of alcohol in ‘doing’ gender and femininity will also be explored, as young women collectively display feminine identities through particular drinking choices and practices that may include heavy drinking and drunkenness. Finally, I will consider the implications for young women who do not engage in these collective practices of alcohol consumption and suggest avenues for future work on the under-researched topic of the experiences of non-drinkers.

Lad culture as a sticky atmosphere: navigating sexism and misogyny in the UK's student-centred nighttime economy

‘Lad culture’ has become a popular term for making sense of sexism, misogyny and sexual harassment in Higher Education in the UK. However, a gap exists in understanding student negotiations of the nighttime economy, and how spatial elements shape the affective dimensions of lad culture experiences. In this article, we offer the concept of ‘sticky atmospheres’, a combination of Sara Ahmed’s ‘sticky affects’ and Ben Anderson’s ‘affective atmospheres’. We demonstrate the usefulness of ‘sticky atmospheres’ by analysing data produced in co-operative inquiry-inspired discussions with a Student Union ‘Gender Society’. In doing so, we offer an understanding of the student-centred nighttime economy through participants’ accounts of proximity to the sticky object, described as a pervasive atmosphere. However, we also explore the potential for atmospheric change.

Geography of fear: fright tourism in urban revitalization

ABSTRACT Urban centres encompass a variety of tourist attractions. To expand these offerings, the opportunities must recognize the temporal and spatial constraints of travel. Temporally a night-time economy can fuel visitation and has traditionally been centered on entertainment, food and drinking establishments. The former has broad appeal to all visitors while the latter are more attractive options for the young and fearless. Spatially, to attract a broader audience of visitors, one most overcome the fear of the night so important in family friendly opportunities. Following the examples in several cities, the commodification of dark tourism themes has been shown to encourage family visitation, despite the macabre theme of the attractions. For the purpose of this study, an assessment of common fears is asked of night-time tourists as they prepare to enter an urban haunted attraction. The attraction is promoted to scare the guest but at the same time, expected to be safe. In this manner we begin to understand the dual nature of fear (i.e. repel vs attract) evident in night-time tourism experiences.