Londoners could be set to enjoy their last night out as early as 2029, with research suggesting Britain’s nightlife is “on the brink of extinction”. There have been serious losses in the nightlife scene across the country, with factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic playing a key role.
Britain’s nightlife scene has lost 37 percent of its clubs since March 2020, an average of three nightclubs per week, according to the Night Time Industries Association. They have crunched the numbers and have predicted that if the UK’s nightlife losses continue on a similar trend, Londoners, as well as the rest of the UK, could have their last ‘night out’ on 31 December 2029.
“We are witnessing the systematic dismantling of the night time economy. Our industry is not just about entertainment, it is about identity, community and economy,” said Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association.
“Losing our clubs means losing jobs, culture and an important part of the UK’s social fabric. Without urgent action, 31 December 2029 will be the last night out and the end of a clubbing that has defined generations.”
But the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis have not only hit London’s nightclubs hard. People have long complained that the capital’s pubs simply don’t stay open long enough.
Ms Rochdi, assistant manager of The Eagle, a pub in Hoxton, said in July: “More and more people are working from home so, for example, Friday night isn’t really a thing anymore. You make all the money on Thursday and Friday, it becomes a bit of a ghost town .”
“There are no longer people in offices who come to visit us once or twice a week, when they have their day where they physically have to be here, lunch breaks are not a thing anymore, people don’t come out for it and also people don’t the money for it any longer, as prices continue to rise.”
To combat the “devastation” facing Britain’s night-time economy, NITA has made a series of “critical demands” to the government. These include calling for more support for the sector, recognition of nightclubs and venues as ‘cultural institutions’ and reform as a political level.
London’s night czar, Amy Lame, who recently resigned, was appointed in 2016 and is responsible for ensuring London ‘thrives’ as a 24-hour city. In her role, she hosted ‘night ops’ for Londoners to talk about their experiences of the capital at night.
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