In his statement, NTIA CEO Michael Kill thanked the government for the step, adding that recovering from the economic impact will take time. “Experts have suggested that recovery to pre-COVID levels will take several years, but we cannot lose sight of the short-term role that the government must continue to play in supporting the sector, beginning with the chancellor’s budget in March,” he wrote.

Kill also thanked officials for lowering value-added tax (VAT) to help struggling business owners. The VAT is a fee attached to ticket purchases imposed by the U.K. In 2021, the UK government lowered the VAT to 5% after industry professionals warned legislators about the financial consequences of keeping it at 20%.

Also speaking on the subject, UKDSA members emphasized their dire state, saying that trained security professionals “remain at a critical level.” After thanking the government for lifting restrictions, they went on to remind everyone that the summer festival season is fast approaching. “It is important as we move into the summer that we regain and build on pre-pandemic security resource levels in line with demand.”

The lifting of COVID-19 restrictions comes as the country continues to see a decline in new cases. As of February 21st, 2022 49,205 cases were reported. This is in stark contrast to January when cases peaked at 194,494 on the 5th.

Titled “A Study of the Night Time Economy,” the report aims to “fully understand, for the first time, the economic contribution and significance of the night time cultural economy (NTCE) to the U.K. economy.” Its definition of “night time cultural economy” includes “sub-sectors within the OHLE (Out of Home Leisure Economy) that primarily serve the evening or night time consumer – i.e., 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM.”

The NTIA’s findings show that the U.K.’s NTCE “has shown a steady and sustained contribution to the U.K.’s gross domestic product (GDP), generating 1.64% or £36.4 billion in 2019.” The report goes on to write that the “NTCE is a significant and growing employment sector, supporting approximately 425,000 U.K. jobs and 38,000 businesses in 2018.”

Diving into COVID-19’s impact, the NTIA reports that the “NTCE has lost proportionally more than other sectors in the OHLE. Overall the current estimate of lost trade for March 2020 to June 2021 is £36 billion.” This leads them to conclude that, thanks to the pandemic, “an estimated loss of 589,000 jobs in the OHLE. In the night time economy an estimated 393k were lost. The night time cultural economy has lost an estimated 86k jobs.”

Read the entire Night Time Industries Association report here.

“Night time economy businesses have waited patiently for their opportunity to open for 15 months,” said NTIA CEO Michael Kill in a statement. “Many have not survived, some are on a cliff edge, hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost, a huge pool of talent has been swept away and left to suffer extreme financial hardship.”

Kill wrote that surveys of NTIA member businesses suggested that 54% of establishments have already ordered stock ahead of the previously expected June 21st reopening, with 73% having scheduled staff and 60% having sold tickets. Additionally, 64% had booked performing artists and 80% had spent money on marketing campaigns.

“We should not underestimate the importance of June 21st to these businesses, employees, entertainers and freelancers, a day when they are given back their freedom to trade, livelihoods, careers, social well-being, and the day that the government gives culture back to the U.K.,” Kill wrote. “These businesses have adapted, overcome and survived for an exceptional length of time with the bare bones of support, and have arrived at this opportunity to find that it could be taken from them. Let’s not torture them by leaving them hanging on until Monday [June 14th].”

Kill adopted a more urgent tone in later passages, warning that the NTIA would enlist “key partners” to push back against the U.K. government if necessary. “The decision to delay will leave us no other option but to challenge the government aggressively, standing alongside many other industries who have been locked down or restricted from opening,” his statement closed out.

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson had announced in February that restrictions may be able to lift on June 21st as part of a four-step reopening timeline. According to ITV, however, an unnamed government advisor said in May the chances of reopening by then were “close to nil.” Then last week, The Times cited health officials Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance as claiming that a delay of two weeks to a month could help ensure U.K. inhabitants over 50 could get vaccinated.

BBC reports that so far 41 million (78% of the U.K. population) have received their first dose of the vaccine, with more than 29 million having received their second.

U.K. law firm TLT served the legal notice to First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon on behalf of the advocacy group on Friday. It reads, in part, “Our clients and the businesses they represent have concluded that it is now very clear that the Scottish government is, at best, completely indifferent and, at worst, actively opposed to the interests and well-being of Scotland’s night-time economy.”

Much of the grant money awarded to Scottish establishments sidelined by the pandemic has run out, and present restrictions prevent them from operating sustainably. Even at the current Level 3 COVID-19 protection levels, nightclubs are forbidden from operating and bars can only provide full service in outdoor areas. Most crucially, lawmakers have given no indication of when the when the restrictions might lift.

“As things stand, we have no ability to trade, no indicative date for reopening, no ongoing funding, and no prospect of keeping our staff in employment,” said Sub Club managing director and NTIA Scotland chair Mike Grieve in a statement. “Meanwhile, the oft-quoted ‘scientific data’ backing the regular assertion from Scottish government that hospitality settings are a significant factor in COVID-19 transmission has yet to be produced. It is completely wrong to decimate an industry based on untested presumptions.”

NTIA Scotland is a branch of the Night Time Industries Association, an organization that represents nightlife institutions across the U.K. Under the direction of CEO Michael Kill, it has published reports on the impacts of the pandemic on the industry based on surveys of its member businesses.

The Scottish government reports that 226,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19 with almost 7,700 resulting deaths since the start of the pandemic.

The report makes note of aid provided thus far by the U.K. government, including job retention schemes and the Culture Recovery Fund. Based on surveys of over 20,000 consumers, institutions, employees and gig workers, however, it argues that such efforts have fallen short and could lead to “extinction” of businesses in the nightlife industry.

“Responses to our survey detailed a widespread feeling of frustration, a heavy-hearted acceptance that some restrictions have been needed, but a disappointment in the overall management of the crisis and the pittance of support provided,” the report concludes. “Businesses revealed the overwhelming financial cost of the pandemic, which has had a ripple effect on employment levels for staff and freelancers throughout the sector.”

Among the recommendations in the report is the appointment of a night time economy advisor like those of cities like London, Manchester and Bristol. It also advocates for the formation of a committee dedicated to the proactive nightlife reopening, arguing that the absence of a clear timeline prevents business owners from making crucial investments ahead of time.

COVID-19 and UK Nightlife: an Inquiry by the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Night Time Economy is available in full via the NTIA website.

Image credit: Long Truong

As with their previous predictions, the NTIA based their findings on the results of a survey. The same questionnaire determined that 88% of participating nightclubs were delinquent on rent by over two months and 86% have been forced to lay off staff. Of the clubs surveyed, only 46% had received some form of government aid.

“The failure so far of the U.K. Government to recognize the devastating impact of their actions on this sector is a tragedy for U.K. Culture,” said NTIA CEO Michael Kill. “Nightclubs and late night venues have been closed since March, with many suggesting they will not survive past the end of February.”

“The facts stand that nightclubs/late night venues have been given limited, and in many cases hugely disproportionate support outside of furlough for the year they have been closed and suffered extreme financial hardship for over 11 months, with many seeing the end of February as the last stand for their future,” Kill continued. “We are on the cusp of losing a cultural institution, the government has ignored the sector and failed to recognize its economic and cultural value.”

U.K. nightlife employers, employees, freelancers and consumers are encouraged to participate in the ongoing All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Night-Time Economy survey via the NTIA website.

Image credit: Alexander Popov

“There is a growing concern that New Year’s Eve is going to culminate in social unrest and will see a substantial number of illegal parties and mass gatherings following the closure of businesses at 11:00 PM, with a real risk of overwhelming the police and emergency services,” said NTIA CEO Michael Kill in a statement. “We are estimating that the U.K. will be witness to over 5,000 illegal parties across New Years Eve weekend.”

On Thursday, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham suggested that the restrictions could therefore backfire. Without bars and nightclubs open, he said, people might choose to gather in their homes, causing another wave of infections.

“The closure of hospitality venues in Tier 3, combined with the 11:00 pm curfew elsewhere only serves to encourage house parties and outdoor gatherings, and it’s inevitable we will see an increase of these on New Years Eve,” said Greater Manchester Night Time Economy Advisor Sacha Lord. “I urge all those considering hosting or attending a gathering to think about those around them who may be vulnerable to COVID-19, and to put their health and safety first.”

Last week, the U.K. became the first country to approve Pfizer and BioNTech‘s COVID-19 vaccine for public use – although it’s estimated that they will not be distributed to the majority of the population for several months.

Image credit: Alexander Popov

When a monthlong emergency lockdown ends on Wednesday, most U.K. regions will be subject to either tier two or three restrictions. Under the former, bars and clubs can reopen so long as alcohol is served with food. Under the latter, they must remain closed altogether. The NTIA’s survey of over 400 establishments throughout the country estimates that 75.6% will be forced to discontinue operations by Christmas with the new guidances in place.

“This announcement by the government has led us to believe that they are intentionally aiming to collapse our sector,” said NTIA CEO Michael Kill in a statement. “Every town and city across the U.K. stands to lose valued and much loved venues. This will be another stab in the heart of our town and city centers.”

“I make a direct appeal to the Prime Minister – Mr. [Boris] Johnson, what are you doing to save the lives and livelihoods of the many businesses and workers within the night time economy, businesses that have been closed since March and are continuing to suffer?” reads a later passage of Kill’s statement. “They have staff and freelancers that will lose their jobs irrespective of furlough because the businesses won’t survive.”

The survey also found that 73.1% of the businesses have laid off staff amid the COVID-19 crisis, with 65.2% being forced to lay off 40% or more. 74.4% of the establishments surveyed rent their premises as commercial tenants; of them 77.6% are delinquent on payments by at least two quarters.

The Night Time Industries Association is not the only organization to levy criticism at the upcoming restrictions. Last week, Music Venue Trust also took aim at the alcohol sales stipulations in particular. “It is not possible to deliver an economically viable event in this sector without the financial support provided by alcohol sales,” the charity wrote in a statement. “92% of grassroots music venues do not have the necessary facilities to provide substantial food.”

Kill ended his own statement on a personal note. “What do you say to that Prime Minister, I hope you are sleeping well at night because thousands within our sector are struggling to sleep, in fear of their future,” he closed out.

Image credit: Alexander Popov

“Pre COVID-19 there were over 1,400 Nightclubs across the U.K., but these numbers are reducing daily,” reads an NTIA statement. “Without a roadmap for reopening and with growing financial pressures from dwindling cash reserves, commercial rent and loan debt, many are being forced to close the doors and hand the keys back.”

The organization also argued that clubs have been “systematically extinguished,” and that the U.K. government’s failure to acknowledge the nightlife sector’s plight is a “tragedy for U.K. culture.”

“We are on the cusp of losing a cultural institution, the government has ignored the sector and failed to recognize its economic and cultural value,” said Kill in a separate statement. “We are a world leader in electronic music and U.K. clubs have been a breeding ground for contemporary music talent events and DJS’s for decades. Nightclubs have made a huge contribution to our culture sector and are renowned globally.”

Outside of campaigning for increased aid, nightlife professionals are also fighting coronavirus restrictions that they consider to be unjust. The owners of G-A-Y Manchester have a judicial hearing set for December 3rd to remove bar and nightclub curfews from the government’s three-tiered system of guidelines, which is set to go back into effect after the current emergency lockdown is lifted. Greater Manchester Night Time Economy Advisor Sacha Lord has shared plans to pursue legal action as well.

Citizens of other countries are also pushing back against guidances recently put in place to manage the spread of the virus. In Berlin, for instance, a Tuesday demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate prompted officials to shoot water cannons into crowds in hopes of dispersing the largely unmasked and tightly packed protesters.

A COVID-19 vaccine candidate by Pfizer and BioNTech – as well as another by Moderna – gives business owners in nightlife and beyond hope for a gradual return to normalcy in 2021. In the meantime, Music Venue Trust has expanded on their #SaveOurVenues campaign with a “Red List” designed to funnel donations to the U.K. establishments at highest risk of closure.

On their website, the NTIA encouraged nightlife stakeholders to flood social media with their stories while the matter was debated in Parliament on Monday. The U.K. government has yet to publish the outcome of the hearing, a video of comments made by Manchester Labour MP Lucy Powell circulated on social media.

Thank you so much for the name check in Parliament yesterday @LucyMPowell and for continually fighting for my sector and the events sector. I’m not surprised in the slightest that Manchester was one of the biggest signs up to #LetUsDance in the UK. We know how to party! pic.twitter.com/TouC9msOI1

— Sacha Lord (@Sacha_Lord) November 10, 2020

“As somebody, I must confess, who was often found in [Manchester club] The Haçienda in her youth and is a regular attender at the Glastonbury festival, I’m particularly pleased to speak in this debate,” Powell said. “It was no surprise to me that there were more signatures from my constituency in this debate than most other constituencies across the country.”

Powell also commended Greater Manchester Night Time Economy Advisor Sacha Lord for his advocacy in the same arena. Last month, he enlisted lawyers to prepare to take legal action against the U.K. government if “tier three” restrictions were imposed on Greater Manchester bars, nightclubs and venues.

Slipping Through the Cracks

A few days after the NTIA launched the #LetUsDance campaign, the government allocated £500 million for a Culture Recovery Fund to aid arts organizations including a number of electronic music brands. As of Saturday, £427 million of the sum has been distributed – but some of Arts Council England‘s decisions have proven controversial.

Among the institutions named in their Round 2 data release was broadcasting platform Boiler Room, who received £791,652 even though they posted net losses in the millions in both 2018 and 2019. In Round 4, Birmingham hard dance event brand Sundissential was awarded £223,822 despite having been dormant from 2017-2019. Meanwhile, London venues like Printworks, The Drumshed, Egg London, Studio 338, Oval Space, Exhibition London and The Pickle Factory had all been denied funding.

NTIA CEO Michael Kill, who four months ago warned that U.K. lawmaker aid at the time left nightlife to “slip through the cracks,” has criticized Arts Council England’s discretion in awarding grants. “Some culturally significant venues, events and supply chain businesses being missed off the awards, bringing into question the current criteria and assessment process,” he said.

The results of the #LetUsDance debate will be published by the U.K. Parliament this week.