Sadiq appoints Amy Lamé new night czar

Sadiq Khan today appointed as his new night czar Amy Lamé, comic and LGBT Labour activist.

Lamé has been appointed to the newly created role designed to oversee and help grow the night economy of London, which has lost “40 per cent of live music venues and half of its nightclubs” since 2007.

The creation of the role follows the “hugely successful” example of night time mayors in San Francisco, Amsterdam and Berlin. It is hoped that London, as the biggest city to create such a role so far, can now “become the number one global destination for 24-hour culture and entertainment.”

Lamé, a former LabourList columnist, was mayor of Camden 2010-11, and is heavily involved in campaigning activities. She co-founded and chairs the RVT futures group, a voluntary LGBT+ community group “campaigning to preserve the iconic Royal Vauxhall Tavern”, and has been involved in elements of London nightlife for over 20 years.

Lamé backed Khan for the Labour candidacy for London mayor last year, and said in a statement that: “It’s a privilege to be London’s very first night czar. I can’t wait to hit the streets and have loads of ideas of what I can do for revellers, night-time workers, businesses and stakeholders.”

She focussed on the issue of closures, saying: “For too long, the capital’s night-time industry has been under pressure — music venues and nightclubs in particular are closing at an alarming rate.”

“With the advent of the Night Tube, and the Mayor’s commitment to protect iconic venues across the city, I’m confident that I can inspire a positive change in the way people think about the night-time economy.”

She ran for selection as Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Dulwich and West Norwood in 2014 and co-presented a BBC London show with Danny Baker for more than a decade. She also DJs at club nights across the capital.

Lamé tweeted of the news from her new official night czar account:

Let’s make London the most vibrant and diverse 24 hour city in the world! #LondonIsOpen

— Night Czar (@nightczar) November 4, 2016