Debate contribution: Belfast's Night-time Economy

Debate contribution by Dr Caoimhe Archibald on 4 February 2025.

MLA

Dr Caoimhe Archibald

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

4 February 2025

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Adjournment

Heading

Belfast's Night-time Economy

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4779725

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

, and thank you for that welcome. I thank the Member who secured the debate on what is an important issue. As one who lived in Belfast for over a decade and who, like Deborah Erskine, still enjoys a night out in it, I must say that it is a great city in which to go out. It is important that I put that on the record. There is so much to offer: restaurants, bars, music venues and other spaces. There are clearly challenges as well, however. In 2022, there were 165,000 night-time workers in the North, accounting for around 20% of the workforce, which is a lower proportion than in Britain, where it is at 27%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of night-time workers declined by almost one third, so there is undoubtedly space to grow our night-time economy. Doing so would create more job opportunities, particularly for young people. It is estimated that around one third of 16- to 24-year-olds in employment work in the night-time economy, which is more than any other age group. Although the motion is limited to Belfast, this is an opportunity for the whole of the North. Indeed, evidence suggests that night-time work often makes up a higher proportion of employment in rural areas than it does in urban ones. A thriving night-time economy requires a contribution from various Departments. We need good transport links, clean and safe streets, housing in city and town centres and appropriate licensing laws. For my Department, it is critical to attracting tourists and ensuring a vibrant hospitality sector. The tourism action plan, which was launched in January, provides a road map for the growth of tourism over the next 10 years and aims to increase its value to £2 billion per annum. It covers areas such as marketing, skills, business, tourism, accommodation, sporting events and connectivity. The policies of the British Government, however, pose a threat to our plans to grow the tourism and hospitality sectors. The electronic travel authorisation (ETA) scheme represents a bureaucratic and cost barrier to international tourists, two thirds of whom come north from Dublin. Increased employers' National Insurance contributions have already been mentioned. Those will further add to the cost of doing business and widen differences between North and South. We continue to lobby the British Government not just on National Insurance but on VAT, where, again, there will be a widening differential, on air passenger duty and on the ETA scheme. The Department of Finance has commissioned research on the cost of doing business, and that will strengthen the evidence base for our negotiations with London in advance of the spending review. To respond to Mr O'Toole's point, the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre will engage with various business organisations, and there will be opportunities for specific issues to be raised and considered as part of that research. My Department has also commissioned research, in collaboration with Tourism NI and the three Belfast business improvement districts, on the policy levers that impact on our night-time economy. Kate Nicholl asked what specifically it is looking at: it is looking to put a value on the night-time economy and to get an idea of the importance that it plays for our economy overall. It is anticipated that that research will be completed by May. Belfast will be a key focus of it, along with Derry and, for my Fermanagh and South Tyrone colleagues in the Chamber, Enniskillen. Given the need for multiple Departments and agencies to work together, many cities throughout Europe have appointed a night tsar. I was pleased to meet Belfast's own night tsar, Michael Stewart, just before the debate. Michael is in the Gallery. I thank him for taking the time to brief me on his work, his priorities and the purple flag accreditation process. Michael's priorities — more late-night transport, tackling violence against women and girls, restoring Culture Night and improving pavement cafe licensing — are all areas in which we can definitely improve through working collaboratively across Departments and with Belfast City Council. I look forward to continuing to work with all partners across the sector, including Michael Stewart, as we build a thriving, safe and diverse night-time economy in Belfast and across the North.

715 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:53 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

Disagree with this assessment?

Classifications can be challenged. A person reads every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.

Challenge this classification