Overview

• Nearly 800 late-night venues have closed across the UK since 2020, leaving about 2,424 still operating, according to the NTIA’s Night Time Economy Monitor compiled with CGA by NIQ.
• London now counts 343 venues open past midnight, down from 433 in March 2020, with notable losses including The Loop Bar, Printworks, Tiger Tiger and Pryzm in Kingston.
• Net closures have accelerated to roughly three per week over the past three months, indicating a continuing contraction rather than a one-off pandemic effect.
• Analysts attribute the downturn to rising operating costs, including April increases to the minimum wage and employers’ National Insurance, alongside business rates, licensing pressures and weaker spending by younger consumers.
• The NTIA is urging a VAT cut, reversal of employer National Insurance changes and extended business rates relief, as City Hall’s Nightlife Taskforce led by Fabric co-founder Cameron Leslie readies recommendations for the autumn.