The 6pm to 6am economy is a crucial part of the vitality of neighbourhoods. It is also, as highlighted by the pandemic, highly dependent on a larger context, including public realm design, transport networks, highways and kerbside strategies, social and cultural infrastructures, and complex ecologies of land uses and services.

As part of the Greater London Authority’s ongoing campaign for a 24-hour London, Publica and Didobi will be delivering one-to-one support to boroughs looking to, and already working on, evening and night time strategies.

The programme of work will see teams from Publica and Didobi working closely with the GLA and stakeholders to help implement a range of place-specific, evidence-based night time strategies and projects across London that can help inspire other London boroughs, and towns and cities across the globe.

Both Publica and Didobi advocate strategies and projects that are underpinned by a robust evidence base, and have worked on complex projects across a range of timescales, budgets and geographies.

As such, key deliverables include a series of Night Surgeries, which will include focus group workshops, training sessions, site and venue visits, and night walks – together providing specific guidance, ideas, training and support to address the issues highlighted by stakeholders.

Publica’s partner on this project, Didobi, was founded after they identified a lack of independent, practical and experienced expertise in the interpretation and monetisation of data.

Didobi has grown to a team of 13 ‘trusted experts’ from London to Dublin to Hong Kong, all of whom are highly regarded in their specialist fields. These include data science, data quants, research, placemaking, communications and strategy.