Sadiq Khan’s ‘night czar’ has hit back at critics and claims to have helped keep ‘hundreds’ of venues open. Amy Lamé is paid £116,925 a year for her role which, according to City Hall, involves “advocating for London’s nightlife both in the UK and internationally, including protecting venues across the city”.
But the Conservatives have criticized Lamé’s article in the Independent, calling it “desperate, bottomless” and claiming that two of the places she claims credit for saving have been “shut down”. Lamé speaks of a “decline” being felt by night-time businesses in the capital amid the rising cost of doing business.
She added: “And then there is the ongoing concern, particularly among female clubbers, about safety following an increase in reports of nailing incidents – something which the Mayor and I take very seriously. It is against this background that I have come forward to support stadiums under threat – some of them iconic.
“I helped save The 100 Club on Oxford Street, an address that was once a hangout for American GIs, before later hosting the Rolling Stones and Metallica. I have been involved in the development of new openings such as Outernet on Tottenham Court Road, the centerpiece of an immersive, ‘virtual’ entertainment district, which is free to visit.
“During a difficult time for the nightlife economy, I’ve helped hundreds of nightclubs keep their doors open – including the likes of Fabric, Ministry of Sound, Egg, GAY and Fire, to name just a handful.”
It comes after the Spectator newspaper reported that Lamé had his pay packet increased by around 40 per cent to almost £120,000 in the past year. A Conservative party source said: “Two of the venues that Amy Lame claims credit for saving have closed down. This article is desperate and shows that Sadiq Khan is more interested in handing out big pay checks to his mates than listening to Londoners and fix our night economy.”
Some areas of London see spending ‘increase by up to 70 per cent’
A new report from the town hall revealed on Wednesday 28 February that spending “increased by up to 70 per cent” on streets in Bromley, Vauxhall and Woolwich. Officials say this is after they became the Mayor’s Night Time Enterprise Zones last year.
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