Gums&Tongue

#5 Written in London 

Spotted in Soho today.Nowadays London's Soho is a boring shadow of its former self, thanks to aggressive developers and politicians who don't understand Britain's night-time economy.It’s much more about upmarket restaurants, trendy clothes shops, coffee bars and groovy office space. The UK’s night-time economy is huge and an enormous part of what makes our cities such exciting, creative and vibrant places to live. It’s worth £66 billion a year (around 6% of the UK’s GDP) and provides employment for 1.3 million people (10% of the workforce).But a crucial part of this is the mix. If you have nothing but swanky restaurants and posh apartments (never flats) that’s not a mix. It’s the dull bits of Paris or Manhattan.The UK’s attitude to its nightlife is pretty odd full-stop. A couple of calls from a new neighbour really can shut down a decades-old business.Bars, pubs, clubs, restaurants and theatres have been drivers behind the renaissance in urban living and are a big draw for tourists.What else could we do?Just stick our gums to our tongues I guess.