Venue owners and promoters have called on Croydon Council to take back licensing powers from the police and establish a steering group in a bid to revive Croydon’s dwindling night-time economy.

YESTERDAY: Venue owners 'not listened to' for council report into state of Croydon's nightlife

About 15 people attended a scrutiny committee meeting last night to discuss a report on revitalising the town’s nightlife, prompted in part by the sudden closure of popular nightspot Tiger Tiger last month.

There were also calls for High Street between clubs Bad Apple and Dice bar to be closed to traffic, better use of public spaces such as Surrey Street and Exchange Square, and food stalls and pop-up shops to encourage a culture that does not revolve around drinking.

JANUARY: Tiger Tiger shuts its doors as Croydon Council leader Tony Newman denies 'managing away' night time economy

Leading on the subject Labour councillor Mark Watson spoke of Croydon’s needed to become a “modern European city” with less alcohol and more cultural events on offer – such as light shows similar to the Lyon festival of lights and the recent Lumiere festival in London.

Venue owners, promoters and councillors were asked what needed to be done to improve Croydon’s night-time economy and how the council can achieve it.

Poor street-lighting and decoration was cited as one of the main reasons the town centre is unattractive at night, while the council’s planned increase in street trading charges – dubbed the “sunshine tax” – also came under fire.

While heavy-handed policing and a perceived bias against venues putting on events playing certain types of music has previously been blamed for the languished state of the night-time economy, the issue was not included in the report and no conclusion was reached on how to address it.

FEBRUARY 2: Is heavy-handed policing damaging Croydon's nightlife?

Paul Bossick, owner of Bad Apple club in High Street said the council needed to take back the powers to issue licences themselves.

He said: “There is a problem with licensing in this town – they are picking on certain applications.”

Saif Bonar, owner of cafe-bar Matthews Yard, where a public meeting on the state of the night-time economy was held earlier this month, said: “We need to be more liberal with licensing and [council] should help struggling businesses.

“To me night-time economy is what we have now but bigger and better, something that is inclusive for everyone.”

He asked council to consider the “substantial subsidies” it gives to some businesses and not to others, which he said “automatically creates disconnect” within the town.

Matthew McMillan, development director at Boxpark, which is set to open by East Croydon station this summer, said more needed to be done to encourage business to set up shop in the town centre.

He said: “You want to see a much bigger concentration of places to go to, there needs to be a number of new openings.”

According to the report future projects like the Boxpark pop-up mall will boost Croydon’s night-time economy by offering “a totally different drinking and dining experience for residents and visitors alike”.

But surrounding business have expressed concerns about the effect the development might have on already-struggling venues.

FEBRUARY 3: Sunshine tax? Businesses protest at proposed rate hike for street trading

Conservative councillor Sara Basford asked council to have a serious look at whether the “sunshine tax” was necessary.

She said: “It makes you feel safer having people outside and we are trying to capture that.

“Many businesses have told me they can’t afford to have tables outside if it comes in – it will kill businesses that are trying to do the right thing.”

Responding to the suggestions, Coun Watson said: “The police presence is an ongoing issue and we are talking to the police on that.

“The police view on that is they need to be on hand if incidents out there – there are people that get very drunk and abusive, not just towards other people but also towards the police.

“The police do need to be able to respond to that but I think we need to find a way to make it feel friendlier in the town centre.

“It comes back that ambience and how we make it feel friendlier, whether it is better lighting, cleaner streets, closed off areas or a smaller police presence.”