One in three nightclubs 'face closure' by the end of 2022
The data, provided by the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), shows that more than 255 nightclubs were lost between December 2019 and December 2021, closing at a rate of 10.63 per month, equating to a nightclub being lost every three days during the pandemic.
Current figures show that between December 2021 and September this year, a further 123 nightclubs have shut, closing at a rate of 14 per month.
If nightclubs were to close in line with the current trajectory for the remainder of 2022, the NTIA says one in three nightclubs would have been lost between the end of 2019 and 2022.
“The Government is ripping the heart out of nightlife,” says Michael Kill, CEO of the NTIA, which represents some 1,400 independent bars, clubs and live music venues across the UK.
“This inflationary circle is taking its toll on our sector, with businesses trading 15% down across the board, costs up over 30% taking the shine off the golden quarter.
“Independent nightclubs across the UK are fighting to survive, managing cashflow on a day by day basis, waiting on a budget that has failed them twice before.”
Ahead of Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's Autumn Statement, which is now scheduled for 17 November, Kill says the Treasury must consider providing support based on the role the night-time sector plays in the UK's economic recovery.
“Independent businesses across the night time economy need the alcohol duty freeze to be reinstated, business rates relief to be extended and VAT to be reduced across the board.”
