UK Nightlife close to collapse as venues face unsustainable energy prices

Nightlife could cease altogether in some areas of the UK as businesses face “unsurvivable” energy costs, an industry body has warned. There have been industry-wide calls this week to address the impending doom as venues face potential energy cost hikes of up to 1,400%

Various music industry organisations, including UK Music, LIVE, The Music Venue Trust and Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), are asking for more action from the government to protect the music and entertainment industries.

New UK Prime Minister Liz Truss announced a support scheme for businesses and other non-domestic energy users on Thursday, the same day as the death of Queen Elizabeth II, which shocked not only the UK but most of the world.

UK Music Chief Executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin has urged Truss to start addressing and tackling the energy crisis that is heavily impacting the music industry.

Live music trade organisation LIVE has suggested a reversal of the April 2022 VAT rate increase for hospitality, the reinstatement of a generous HMRC Time to Pay scheme in the sector, and measures to help businesses reduce their energy usage.

The NTIA has called on the UK Government immediate reduction of VAT to 12.5% or lower for all hospitality sector premises. They have also asked to include small businesses in the domestic energy price cap, with prices frozen at no higher than the current cap of around 28p per kWh.

Seemingly bleak times ahead for UK nightlife; let’s hope, with so much potential global change on the horizon in the wake of the newly inherited King Charles III, things take a significant turn for the better. If not, we could risk saying goodbye to many of our most beloved late-night haunts for good.