Client: CARDIFF CITY COUNCIL 

Project: night-time economy review 

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What were MAKE asked to do?

Cardiff City Council asked MAKE to show its councillors how we had supported Liverpool City Centre after dark with our Design out Crime Strategy. We worked with Cardiff’s councillors through their scrutiny committee process to help them understand the strengths and weaknesses of their own NTE and how they could change it for the better.  

How did MAKE do it?

  • We examined Cardiff’s current problems after dark – they were like many other cities: the massive over-clustering of young people’s drinking venues, alcohol-related disorder and in particular highly negative local and national perceptions of the city (“It’s like the Wild West out there”) were ones that needed tackling. 

  • We built a presentation of our findings that specifically targeted the way councillors think and what would appeal to them sufficiently that they were prepared to make difficult changes. Mike Cockburn’s ability to laser in on how councillors think was critical to the project’s success. 

  • In particular, we were keen to get Cardiff (similar in size to Liverpool) to think big, but that they could only do that if they got the basics right first (enforcement, lighting, transport, dispersal of venues). 

What happened next?

The work became the cornerstone of the city’s review of its night-time economy and out of it came a 40-recommendaitn action plan. Many of these have been implemented in the last two years and the city has made real strides on reducing alcohol-related behaviour, changing its plans and policies to cater for a broader demographic and wider mix of cultural and leisure tastes.

What unique value did MAKE bring to this project?

Because of our work with Liverpool we were able to work in concert with its city centre manager to help councillors understand what they could and couldn’t do to make Cardiff better after dark, as well as what they should do more of and what they probably should stop doing! They even called us up to say thanks, which was unusual for councillors!