The Not-So-Square Mile: Could the City Be London’s Nightlife Unicorn?

Hot town: summer in the City, sang The Lovin’ Spoonful. And as the mercury rises the City of London clears out, the daily influx of over half a million workers thinned by summer holidays. It’s a seasonal shift that reminds us just how distinctive the Square Mile is – not only within London, but across the UK.

With around just 8,500 residents, the City feels noticeably hushed without its commuter crowd. We saw this thrown into sharp relief post-Covid, but it’s a trend that has become the focus of renewed debate with the publication of Bompas & Parr’s Future of P-Leisure 2026. The question this time: should the City capitalise on its weekend down-time to become a destination for late-night culture – raves, clubs, parties?

As the report identifies, the City of London is a bit of a unicorn when it comes to the perfect late-night venue location: urban, central, brilliantly connected, home to large, architecturally interesting buildings – and, crucially, low on residents meaning that even despite the recent diversification of uses in the City, there are fewer locals living there who might otherwise be impacted by late night noise. Could a nightlife ecosystem spring to life just as the last office lights blink off on a Friday?

Nightlife has been in decline across global urban centres from London to Montreal well before the pandemic, with licensing restrictions, venue curfews, lack of transport and increasing prices all contributing to the erosion of the all-nighter. Post-Covid, the pressure has intensified. Residential noise complaints have played a big part, and some high-profile cases – from MOTH in Hackney to Manchester’s Night & Day – have fuelled the public’s view that developers are killing the vibe.

The City of London is in a unique position to change the narrative.

And they’re well aware of this. The City of London Corporation’s Destination City growth strategy supports the district’s evolution beyond its purely financial legacy, and builds on its world-class cultural offer – from the Barbican to Guildhall Art Gallery. It backs hospitality, events, sport and public realm improvements to make the district as appealing at midnight on a Saturday as it is at midday on a Tuesday. The stats are compelling: almost 1,000 licensed premises (16 of them 24-hour), over 140 venues with al fresco seating, and a growing events calendar.

Local BIDs are also helping City businesses adapt to their new Tuesday–Wednesday–And-Thursday rhythm (that acronym was short-lived, wasn’t it?). Cheapside Business Alliance, Eastern City BID and Culture Mile have championed a cultural revival: from jazz concerts and Oktoberfest, to walking tours, open-air exhibitions and art installations.

It’s not just about driving traffic: it’s about earning the commute, injecting joy and wellbeing into the district, and reimagining the Square Mile as a destination for both Londoners and visitors.

Our bricks and mortar need to flex with consumers’ demands and changing behaviours. Whilst The Square Mile Mega Club is probably a way off, the City has the chance to become a pioneer: fuelling London’s night-time economy, backing creative industries, and setting a new blueprint for post-9-to-5 districts – showing that the real trick isn’t finding a unicorn, it’s knowing how to keep it dancing.