One in five nightclubs lost over the past three years, CGA reports

One in five nightclubs has been lost over the past three years, according to data from CGA.

There are now only 1,130 nightclubs left in the UK, compared to 1,446 recorded in December 2019, with the Midlands and the North of England being hardest hit with closures.

The Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA) has expressed concerns about the decline in nightclubs, as the night time economy generates £112b in revenue per annum, accounting for 6% of the UK’s total.

Pandemic debt, rising energy bills, supply chain issues, insurance premiums, landlord pressures and falling consumer confidence have contributed to slowing ticket sales and visitor frequency at these venues.

Michael Kill, chief executive officer at NTIA, said: “Late night economy businesses were one of the quickest sectors to rebound during the financial crash many years ago, harbouring an abundance of resilience and entrepreneurial spirit.

“It’s without a doubt that these businesses, particularly nightclubs, have a huge part to play in the regeneration of high streets in towns and cities across the UK.”

"The Government needs to recognise the economic, cultural, and community value of clubs and the wider night time economy. We must protect these businesses, using every means possible, and recognise their importance before it's too late.”

Lisa Nandy, Labour’s shadow levelling up secretary, added: “Every single town has a lost nightclub they feel very strongly about, that was part of our history and our heritage.”

An HM Treasury spokesperson said: “We’ve stood behind the hospitality sector throughout the pandemic with a £400 billion package of economy-wide support that saved millions of jobs and offered a lifeline to hundreds of night-time businesses up and down the country. We also went long with that support through a Recovery Loan Scheme for nightclubs to grow and recover from unprecedented disruption.

“And at the Spring Statement we went further, announcing a £1,000 increase to the Employment Allowance which will cut taxes for hundreds of thousands of businesses.”

In May, Sacha Lord was appointed chair of the board of directors for the NTIA to add 'considerable weight to the board, in the drive to raise awareness of the importance of the night-time industry to the UK economy'.

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