Once-booming UK nightlife industry will die by 2030

According to the most recent data from the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), if the British nightlife venues keep closing at the current rate, all UK’s nightclubs may be out of business by the year 2030.

With Great Britain battling a soaring cost-of-living and energy crisis, spending at the country’s nightclubs has dropped 15% this year, while the costs have jumped by more than 30%, according to NTIA numbers.

Recent nationwide research, conducted in October, revealed that over half of Brits are planning to scale down on discretionary spending, that include eating and drinking out, in order to afford their energy bills.

According to NTIA, 123 nightclubs closed in the nine-month period between last December 2021 and September 2022, meaning one UK nightclub was closing every two days.

There are now only 1,068 nightclubs left in the UK.

The Night Time Industries Association placed the blame for the demise of the industry squarely with the UK government, accusing it of ignoring the importance of the nightlife sector even though it attracts over 300 million tourists per year, employs almost 2 million people and has an economic value measured at £112 billion ($129 billion).

According to NTIA, the industry is “confronted with austerity, taxation and noise abatement notices.”

Few days ago, the organization’s chief Michael Kill urged British government officials to stop ‘ripping the heart out of nightlife’ and also to reinstate the alcohol duty freeze, extend business rates relief, and reduce VAT.

Kill has repeatedly warned that the decline of nightclubs is a ‘huge tragedy’ for the UK as they nurture talent and serve as important ‘cultural and social hubs.’

He also claimed that the demise of safe licensed venues might lead to a revival of illegal and dangerous parties, with UK risking going back to ‘unregulated and unsafe’ nightlife environments.

“If we’re not careful, we’ll end up going back to the late-eighties rave culture,” Kill added.

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