A new report from the Night Time Industries Association has found that over 90,000 jobs have been lost due to COVID.
The new report finds that in 2019 – the last full year before the pandemic – the UK’s night time cultural economy was worth around £36.4 billion, or around 1.6% of GDP.
In all, this accounted for some 425,000 jobs across the UK – jobs that have been put under threat by the impact of COVID.
The report explains that around 90,000 jobs have been lost through the pandemic, with venues, bars, and restaurants shutting down. It’s an appalling rate of attrition, made all the worse through the lack of support offered from authorities towards the night time cultural economy.
Michael Kill, CEO of the NTIA, commented…
“We are pleased to be able to present today this important and timely piece of work quantifying, for the first time, the size of the night time economy in the UK. Important, because in my 25-year career working in UK nightlife, it has always struck me as so odd that we did not have a proper accounting of the value of this important sector. Today’s report puts that right, and is long overdue.”
“It’s timely because at this moment, governments in Scotland and Wales are pressing ahead with chaotic vaccine passport plans, and the UK Government refuses to rule out their use in England. It is the worst possible time to introduce vaccine passports, which will further damage a sector essential to the economic recovery.”
“It is crucial the Chancellor use the upcoming Budget to support this beleaguered sector. We are calling for him to extend the 12.5% rate of VAT on hospitality until 2024, include door sales in that reduced rate of VAT, because the present system punishes nightclubs that rely on door sales rather than selling tickets, and for him to ensure there are no increases in Alcohol Duties – our sector really cannot afford any additional burdens.”
– – –
