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It was glitz, glam and plenty of cheers as the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) rolled out the red carpet for the Ambassador of the Night Awards 2025, celebrating the champions of UK nightlife in a sparkling ceremony that lit up central London.
The event was hosted by Michael Kill and Silvana Kill and marked a decade of NTIA standing up for nightlife. The event paid tribute to the unsung heroes who make the night-time economy thrive. From DJs and door staff to diversity trailblazers and safety campaigners, to acknowledge those who have dedicated their entire career to late night entertainment.
“Tonight’s not about stiff suits or formalities,” said Mike. “It’s about the real people who keep our nightlife vibrant, inclusive and alive. These awards are for those who don’t just work in the night, they shape it.”
The crowd was treated to an opening speech from Greater Manchester’s own Sacha Lord, who hailed the industry’s fighters and freedom-makers before introducing the first award of the night, the Julie Tippins Award.
From there, the room was packed with heartfelt applause and engagement directly from the crowd, who actively joined in showing industry love as some of the UK’s boldest nightlife champions were recognised for their incredible work.
Among them:
- Deborah Mills-Burns, a powerhouse who went from the Armed Forces to heading security ops at London 2012, is now a leading voice for inclusion with IPSA and ZAM FM. Though she couldn’t be there, the equally inspiring Satia Rai, herself a previous winner, picked up her award.
Then came one of the night’s biggest moments: Dr Charisse Beaumont, CEO of Black Lives in Music, was presented with an Award following her keynote speech about the importance of fairness in the Music industry.
Charisse accepted the award, reminding everyone that the fight for inclusion isn’t over, but together, progress is unstoppable. This theme continued into the evening.
- Saskhia Menendez was hailed as a fierce force for the trans and queer community, creating safer spaces for those too often left behind.
- Nadine Noor of Pussy Palace took home an award after months of tireless work pushing for better conditions for queer and gender-diverse communities as part of the London Night Time Task Force.
After a short drinks top-up, it was back to business with comedy entertainment, followed by a stirring spoken word performance from Mr Milise, whose piece Knife Sentence delivered raw truth and reflection.
And the awards just kept coming:
- Karl of Klub Verboten was praised for raising the bar on safeguarding and advocacy in sex-positive spaces, pushing the conversation around consent and licensing into the mainstream.
- Steven Braines, co-founder of HE SHE THEY, took a bow for building radically inclusive dancefloors worldwide.
- DJ Nikki Beatnik, who’s spun for Beyoncé and built Mums That Rave, was celebrated for championing working mums and women in music.
The evening’s final keynote came from UK Music boss Tom Kiehl, who reminded the room just how crucial nightlife is to British culture and creativity.
A final wave of honours included legal heavyweights Sarah Clover and Leo Charalambides, plus a huge cheer for Sylvia Oates, head of Six Til Six, who’s been leading campaigns like Ask for Angela and Best Bar None, making UK nightlife safer and smarter.
Speaking after the event, Silvana Kill, Chief Operating Officer of the NTIA, said:
“This night was about shining a light on the incredible people behind the scenes who make our nightlife what it is, joyful, inclusive and resilient. It’s not just the artists or the promoters, it’s the campaigners, the carers, the door teams and the advocates. Their dedication keeps the culture alive, and tonight we raised a glass to every one of them.”
NIGHTLIFE IS STILL STANDING STRONG
From grime legends to grassroots leaders, the Ambassador of the Night Awards 2024 proved that UK nightlife isn’t just surviving, it’s thriving. With ten years of NTIA under its belt and a new generation of changemakers coming through, the future of the night looks brighter than ever.
