A hard day’s night

It’s not just the tooth fairy working hard all night – Britain’s three million (and counting) night workers are too. Documented here are just a few members of Bristol’s nocturnal workforce: people who keep the city humming along while the rest of us are tucked up in bed or enjoying a long evening out.

City 31st October, 2016

Adam Cantwell-Corn and Norberto Fernández Soriano

It’s not just the tooth fairy working hard all night – Britain’s three million (and counting) night workers are too. Documented here are just a few members of Bristol’s nocturnal workforce: people who keep the city humming along while the rest of us are tucked up in bed or enjoying a long evening out.

Photos: Norberto Fernández Soriano
Words: Adam Cantwell-Corn

Clocking on late can take its toll. Multiple pieces of authoritative research have linked night and shift work with higher occurrences of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and depression – and that’s before we get onto the negative effects on family and social lives. One researcher with the Sleep Research Centre commented that working nocturnal hours “throws the body into chaos”.

Of course, to experience what that description feels like you don’t necessarily need to sacrifice your night out in favour of work – acting up to the bouncer when you’re standing outside the club can provoke a similar result. Better for all concerned then to have some appreciation for the tough jobs our city’s after-dark grafters carry out…