House of Commons – Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Protecting built heritage inquiry: MPs hear from historic places of worship and creative industries – Tuesday 15 July at 10am
Evidence session
Tuesday 15 July, 10am, Committee Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Watch live on Parliamentlive.tv
Comment from Michael Kill, CEO – Night Time Industries Association
“The modernisation of heritage protections presents a vital opportunity for the night-time economy. Cultural and heritage landscapes have evolved significantly — standing still is no longer an option. We must reform heritage policy to reflect the realities of contemporary cultural spaces and the communities they serve.
A significant portion of our sector — including grassroots music venues, LGBTQ+ clubs, and independent cultural spaces — operates within heritage or heritage-eligible buildings. These sites are not just historic structures; they are living archives of artistic expression, community identity, and cultural innovation. However, under current frameworks, many remain unprotected, or worse, burdened by restrictions that impede their ability to adapt, survive, and thrive.
Modern cultural heritage — shaped by youth culture, marginalised communities, and emerging artistic movements — deserves recognition equal to traditional or architecturally driven heritage. Rave culture, queer nightlife, and movements like grime and punk have transformed British culture, yet are rarely captured in heritage planning or funding priorities.
We urgently need a more inclusive approach. This includes expanding heritage criteria to reflect intangible cultural value, creating a dedicated planning use class for cultural venues, and including organisations like NTIA as statutory consultees on planning decisions. We must also address funding disparities, ensuring that support extends beyond programming to include infrastructure, adaptation, and preservation.
International models, like Berlin’s protection of clubs as cultural institutions, demonstrate what is possible. The UK must now catch up — or risk losing the very spaces that drive its cultural identity.
NTIA stands ready to work with Government and key stakeholders across the creative industries to build a heritage system that protects both our physical history and our living culture.”
