In 2019, the Original Cannabis Cafe, formerly Lowell Cafe, burst onto the scene. It was the nation's first legally permitted cannabis restaurant, with long lines snaking out of the venue and down La Brea Avenue.
One of the most striking conclusions from this inquiry's extensive investigation is the sheer number of missed opportunities over many years to intervene meaningfully, which directly contributed to the failure to avert this disaster. The consequences were catastrophic.
"I grew up in that bar. I spent more time there than I did in my own home." Rick Figari reflects on his deep connection to the Ha-Ra Club, where his parents met and where he has countless memories.
The Great Recession, and then the pandemic, did in some of the last holdouts. But not Berkeley's Back Room, which celebrates its 10-year anniversary this month. The Back Room's survival is due to the passion of its founder, Sam Rudin, the musicians who love it and come back time after time to play there, and the commitment of audience members who know the experiences they have there are truly memorable.
The Government's latest Business Rates Relief scheme has delivered a serious blow to Britain's night-time economy, explicitly excluding nightclubs, grassroots electronic music venues and recorded music spaces, and reinforcing growing concern that electronic music and counter-cultural spaces continue to be overlooked in national policy.
New rules making it much harder to close noisy pubs and clubs could be introduced under a radical plan to protect London's night-time economy. It wants councils to only investigate noise complaints if a minimum of 10 unrelated households complain, to prevent only a handful of vexatious neighbours being able to effectively force pubs and clubs to close early. The taskforce's report said London needs a more modern approach to managing sound in the city and changes to noise enforcement rules.
Back in 2010, 1,000 venues across the UK had all-day, all-night licenses, with 91 of those in the capital. These days, however, a measly 58 24-hour licenses are left. Back in 2024, the number of 24-hour gyms in the city officially surpassed the number of 24-hour bars and clubs. Fortunately, the tide could be about to change. Sadiq Khan's independent London Nightlife Taskforce, which was established in 2025, has put together an action plan to bring London's club scene back from the dead. The 'comprehensive' plan was unveiled in January and includes everything from changes to night-time transport and rethinking approaches to noise monitoring to a Nightlife Future Fund.
