December 31st, 2029. That’s the date that the UK’s last nightclub will shut its doors unless the government does something to offer the sector some support, the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA)
has warned.
The group reports that the UK has lost 37% of its nightclubs since March of 2020 – roughly three a week, or 150 closures every year.
At that current rate of closure, every club in the country will be gone by the end of 2029, the organisation has said.
The NTIA has now launched a campaign – titled The Last Night Out – calling on the UK Government to step in with ‘targeted financial support’ to protect venues, as well as the establishment of a Heritage Protection Scheme which would grant protected status to long-established nightclubs including Glasgow’s SubClub and London’s Fabric and Ministry of Sound.
The campaign includes posters in clubs across the UK, encouraging people to sign a petition or write to their local MP.
The Heritage Protection Scheme would grant heritage clubs a similar status to cultural landmarks such as galleries and museums, while providing targeted financial support to nightclubs around the UK.
In addition to the scheme, the NTIA is calling on Westminster to lower VAT, duty and employers’ National Insurance payments for nightclubs, as well as overhaul the business rates system – although that latter issue is devolved in Scotland.
In fact, in Scotland the situation is arguably more dire than south of the border. The NTIA has called on Westminster to extend the current business rates relief measures in place in England. The Scottish Government chose not to implement those measures in Scotland.
NTIA chief executive, Michael Kill, said: “We are witnessing the systematic dismantling of the night-time economy.
“Our industry is not just about entertainment; it’s about identity, community, and the economy.
“Losing our clubs means losing jobs, culture, and a vital part of the UK’s social fabric.
“Without urgent intervention, December 31, 2029, will be the last night out and the end of a clubbing era that has defined generations.”
Sacha Lord, the high-profile night time economy advisor for Manchester, added that the night time industry ‘has been an integral part of our cultural and economic history’.
“It’s more than just a night out; it’s where friendships are forged, creativity flourishes, and local economies thrive.
“The current trajectory spells disaster not only for the businesses themselves but for the communities they serve.
“We cannot afford to lose these spaces — they are the lifeblood of our cities.”
