Nearly a year has passed since the U.K. reported its first case of COVID-19. This week, an inquiry has been launched to determine the ensuing pandemic’s impact on the nightlife industry.
The investigation was spearheaded by Labour MP Jeff Smith, the chair of the recently formed All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG). Central to their case will be testimonials from nightlife institutions as well as artists, workers and consumers – all of whom can share their experiences and observations by taking a 5 to 10-minute survey on the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) website.
“As we move now into a third national lockdown, there has never been a more important time for Government to address the urgent needs of night time economy businesses, their supply chains, and those that rely on them for employment,” said Smith. “Despite playing such a vital role in our local communities and U.K. economy, nightlife businesses have been repeatedly overlooked by the government, and we are determined to ensure that the specific challenges facing the sector are addressed.”
The NTIA in December warned that 75.6% of U.K. nightlife establishments would not survive past Christmas in the absence of increased government aid. The nation entered a third COVID-19 lockdown on January 5th that will be reviewed in mid-February, potentially ending on February 19th.
Take the APPG survey to submit evidence for their inquiry via the NTIA website.
Image credit: Alexander Popov
