Every evening, the City of London dies. By 7pm, the streets are empty. The pubs close early. The offices are dark. Thousands of workers flee to the suburbs or zones 2 and 3. They leave behind a ghost town of glass and steel.
This is unsustainable. The Square Mile is one of the most valuable pieces of real estate on the planet. Yet it sits dormant for 16 hours a day. We are wasting its potential. We need a 24/7 City. We need people to live here.
I spent last Thursday night walking from Bank to Liverpool Street. It was eerie. A few delivery riders on e-bikes. A couple of tourists peering at the Gherkin. Otherwise, silence. Compare this to Shoreditch, just a mile away, buzzing with bars and restaurants. The contrast is stark.
Residents are the answer. They bring life to streets after dark. They support local businesses. They create a community. The City Corporation knows this. It has set a target of 1,500 new homes by 2030. That is a start, but it is not enough. We need thousands more.
Why the resistance? Developers complain about planning restrictions. Office landlords fear losing commercial tenants. But the trend is already shifting. Hybrid working means less demand for office space. We have the opportunity to convert empty floors into apartments.
Look at Canary Wharf. It was derelict docks 30 years ago. Now it has 4,000 residents and a park. The transformation is not perfect, but it works. The City must follow suit.
Cultural venues are equally vital. The Barbican is a world-class arts centre, but it is an island. We need more small galleries, live music spaces, and independent cinemas. The Museum of London is moving to Smithfield, a step in the right direction. But where is the nightclub? The late-night jazz bar? The 24-hour bookstore?
Property values will rise. Critics say this will push out creatives. But density brings affordability in the long run. More people mean more demand for diverse housing types, from social rent to luxury penthouses.
We have the transport infrastructure. The Elizabeth line, the Tube, night buses. What we lack is the will. The City of London Corporation must take bold action. Relax planning laws for residential conversions. Offer tax incentives for cultural venues. Force developers to include live-work spaces.
Some argue the City will lose its competitive edge. Nonsense. Global financial centres like New York and Hong Kong are full of residents. Singapore has vibrant nightlife in its business district. London risks falling behind.
I spoke to a city worker at a pub near St Paul's. He said, "I'd love to live here. But there's nothing to do after work. And nowhere to buy milk on a Sunday." His comment sums up the problem.
We need a new vision. A City that is not just a place to make money but a place to live. A City with parks that are not empty at dusk. A City where you can bump into your neighbour at the local market on a Sunday morning.
This is not a pipe dream. It is a necessity. The Square Mile has the bones of a great neighbourhood. It has history, architecture, and green spaces. It just needs people.
The clock is ticking. Every night we lose another hour of life. Let us build a City that never sleeps. Or at least one that stays awake past dinner.
