It has been revealed that the UK has lost 480 nightclubs between June 2020 to June 2024, with 65 closing just this year.
READ MORE: 2023 was “worst year for venue closures” while “no one in music industry seems to care”, say MVT
As reported by the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), the new statistics from CGA Neilson have highlighted a massive decline in the number of nightclubs across the UK, emphasising that there is an urgent need for support and intervention.
It was revealed that the UK has lost 480 nightclubs between June 2020 and June 2024, with an average of 10 club closures a month meaning two shutting their doors permanently every week. 65 of those nightclub closures occurred between December 2023 and June 2024.
Within the Central Region, only 118 nightclubs remain compared to the 200 that existed back in 2020, marking a 41 per cent loss. The East experienced 39 per cent reduction, with only 41 venues remaining compared to the 67 there once used to be.
Lancashire experienced a 42 per cent decline with only 104 venues surviving compared with the previous number of 178. In London, the nightclub venues dropped from 200 to only 143, marking a 29 per cent decrease. The North East experienced a decrease from 61 to 49 venues, equating to a 20 per cent decline.
Group of young people dancing in a UK nightclub with laser lighting. CREDIT: John Lamb/Getty Images
Scotland lost 42 nightclubs, leaving behind only 83 venues with a 34 per cent decrease. The South and South East dropped down 24 per cent, going from 92 venues to only 70. The South West experienced the loss of half of their venues going from 111 to 64. Wales went down from 66 to 39 venues marking a 41 per cent decline. The worst hit was seen in Yorkshire who experienced a 45 per cent reduction, going from 132 venues to only 73.
The new statistics come after the NTIA revealed earlier this year that 31 per cent of nightclubs in the UK were forced to close last year. In May, it was revealed that the first three months of 2024 alone saw a devastating loss of 67 nightclubs.
The NTIA has called for immediate government action, explaining that the shuttering of nightclubs reflects a broader crisis in the UK’s night time cultural economy. The association has urged the Chancellor to extend business rates relief in the Autumn budget as a way to ease the financial burden on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and as a way to ensure their survival.
In a statement Michael Kill, CEO of the NTIA, said: “The nightclub and dance music sector is facing an unprecedented crisis. Since June 2020, we’ve been losing two nightclubs every week, but in the last six months, this has escalated to three per week. This rapid decline is devastating for our economy, culture, and communities.”
He continued: “Despite contributing millions in taxes, we are burdened with rising costs and a lack of essential public services. Late-night transport is unreliable, police presence is scarce, and venues are forced to spend on security and cleaning—services that should be publicly provided. Additionally, bureaucratic systems around licensing and planning are inconsistent and definitely not conducive to growth, weighing us down at every point.
“Our sector is treated like an afterthought, yet it supports jobs, tourism, and hospitality. These venues aren’t just places to dance; they are vital spaces for community and creativity. Without urgent government intervention, we risk losing a key part of the UK’s cultural identity in dance music. We need immediate action to prevent further closures. Long-term reform won’t matter if there are no venues left to benefit from it.”
Last March, the NTIA claimed that the UK government was “intentionally” closing down nightclubs and venues across the country, as it saw the nightlife sector as “a burden on policing and local government”.
Similarly, in August 2023, the association shared that over 100 independent nightclubs across the UK have been forced to close down over the past year.
The strain put on local music spaces across the UK is by no means a new issue. Back in January last year, it was shared that one-third of UK nightclubs closed by the end of 2022, with reporting that the problem would continue to worsen without government intervention.
In a similar vein, back in January, the results were shared for 2023 – revealing a “disaster” that hit grassroots music venues across the 12 months.
Among the key findings into their “most challenging year”, it has been reported that last year saw 125 UK venues abandon live music and that over half of them had shut entirely – including the legendary Moles in Bath. Some of the more pressing constraints were reported as soaring energy prices, landlords increasing rate amounts, supply costs, business rates, licensing issues, noise complaints and the continuing shockwaves of COVID-19.
Overall, it was found that venues’ rent had increased by 37.5 per cent, with them operating at an average profit margin of just 0.5 per cent.
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