In an extraordinary statement of hospitality business vulnerability, Glasgow’s Japanese restaurant and bar Mikaku has launched a 30-day campaign to ‘secure its future’.
Despite strong local support, loyal regulars, and a ‘highly engaged’ online following, the Queen Street venue is facing ‘unsustainable pressures that go far beyond footfall’.
Launching the ’30 Days to Save Mikaku’ campaign, director Nathan Sparling highlighted ‘skyrocketing costs, unreliable public transport, and city centre parking struggles’ as ongoing burdens — and warned that the Employer National Insurance rise was now ‘tipping the balance’ for many independents.
“We’re lucky to have an incredibly supportive landlord and a brilliant community around us,” said Sparling. “But the rising cost of simply existing as an independent hospitality venue — especially in the city centre — is now overwhelming.
“This campaign is about more than saving one restaurant. It’s about fighting for culture, creativity, and fair opportunity in Glasgow.”
The team at Mikaku is now rallying to turn the next 30 days into a ‘celebration of everything the venue represents’— with daily specials, events, and limited-run dishes designed to bring people together and showcase what’s at stake.
“Starting on Friday, everyone who visits us over the next 30 days will get 20% off their total bill,” said Sparling. “It’s our way of saying thank you — and giving people a reason to come out, bring friends, and help us keep something amazing alive in the city centre.”
Mikaku used its specific announcement to highlight the ‘significant challenges’ facing all of Scottish hospitality and the night-time sectors, and the policy decisions that were ‘quietly killing off the city’s best spaces’.
Recent data shows that between March 2020 and the end of 2024, Scotland experienced an 11.9% decline in licensed premises, reducing the total from 10,541 to 9,283 venues.
The Night Time Industries Association has noted a 34% reduction in Scottish nightclubs, decreasing from 125 venues in 2020 to 83 in 2024.
A recent survey by the Scottish Licensed Trade Association has indicated that 6% of Scottish licensed hospitality venues are contemplating closure due to escalating costs and economic uncertainty – a statistic which underscores the urgent need for targeted support and policy interventions to sustain Scotland’s hospitality and night-time economies.
“We’re asking customers and the wider public to support independent venues like Mikaku because they matter — not just as businesses, but as cultural spaces, community hubs and employers,” added Sparling.
“We’re calling on Glasgow City Council to do more to support hospitality venues — by increasing footfall, improving public transport links, addressing city centre parking challenges, and recognising the role these venues play in Glasgow’s social and economic fabric.
“We urge both the Scottish and UK Governments to implement meaningful policies that support hospitality — particularly around employer tax burdens, energy costs, and long-term investment in the night-time economy.
“Without this kind of support, more venues like Mikaku will continue to disappear.”
