Hackney Council has launched an interactive “night map” designed to help people navigate the east London borough after dark, pointing them towards toilets, free drinking water, phone charging points and ways to get home.
Hackney’s new ‘Night Map’ aims to make London nights out safer
The digital map is part of the council’s Hackney Nights campaign, which has run since 2019 and aims to make nightlife safer and more inclusive while supporting the borough’s evening economy.
What the map shows
The map is built around practical, late-night needs rather than simply listing bars and clubs. Users can locate nearby venues and facilities, check opening times and find wheelchair-accessible locations.
It also helps with the journey home: by entering their location, people can find live bus routes and nearby cycling paths.
Key features include:
- Public toilets and free drinking water
- Places to charge a phone
- Venue opening times and accessibility information
- Live bus routes and cycling paths
- Council-accredited nightlife venues
How to access it
Hackney has made the map easy to reach in the moments when people actually need it. QR codes appear on posters in venue windows and on keyrings distributed around the borough, allowing users to open the map quickly on their phones.
The map is also available through the Hackney Nights website, which describes it as a way to plan a night out and see accredited venues, toilets, bus routes and cycle paths.
Hackney Council is trying to reduce vulnerability after dark
The launch responds to a familiar problem: a night out can become stressful when someone needs water, a toilet, a charged phone or a reliable route home. By putting those essentials on one map, Hackney Council is trying to reduce vulnerability after dark and make nightlife feel more welcoming.
Every venue featured on the map is accredited through Hackney Nights, meaning it meets council standards intended to support safer and more inclusive nightlife.
The map arrives as Hackney’s nightlife faces pressure from development and licensing disputes. The BBE Store, a much-loved record shop, has launched a fundraising campaign amid a licence review linked to noise complaints from a nearby residential building.
Hackney Wick pub The Lord Napier Star has also faced threats from plans for a block of flats next door, which could affect its late licence and finances.
For now, though, the night map offers a small but useful upgrade for anyone heading out in Dalston, Shoreditch, Hackney Wick or elsewhere in the borough: fewer unknowns, more practical support, and a clearer way home.
