What does the delay to the June 21 reopening mean for our clubs?

Following the prime minister’s announcement that the proposed opening up of nightlife on June 21 will be delayed by at least a month, the Night Time Industry Association has responded to the news that the whole sector was hoping not to hear.

Michael Kill, the CEO of the NTIA said in a statement: ‘This is a hugely devastating blow for the very industries that have been hardest hit by this pandemic; in a very real sense, the prime minister has “switched the lights off” for an entire sector. Many businesses have not survived this pandemic and others are on a financial cliff edge, unable to operate viably. Hundreds of thousands of jobs have already been lost, a huge pool of creative talent has been swept away, and we have been left to suffer extreme financial hardship.’

The last year and a half have hit London’s nightlife industry especially hard, with clubs still not able to reopen despite pubs, bars, restaurants, theatres and cinemas all having had restrictions relaxed to some degree. Despite some pilot schemes to analyse possible social distancing in clubs, there is no light at the end of this particularly long and dark tunnel. 

Kill continued: ‘The government must understand the human impact of this decision, not only considering the public health challenges of the virus but the people within our sector who are suffering terribly and the real health risks that this represents. This is particularly important given the overwhelming confidence in the vaccination rollout, and the ability for our sector to deliver Covid-safe and regulated environments.

‘Distressed industries cannot continue to be held in limbo, with thousands of businesses left to fall. This delay, which again offers no clarity on when businesses can open, is leaving many in the industry angry and frustrated, alongside other businesses who have been locked down or restricted from opening through no fault of their own, and at their own cost.’

The NITA has issued a list of requests for the government in light of the announcement: 

• Extension of restriction grant for businesses
• Extension to CBILS/BBS loans repayment holiday
• Exclusion of closed businesses from proportionate furlough contributions
• Extension of forfeiture moratorium until the end of 2021
• Extension of business rates relief
• Extension of VAT relief at 5 percent
• Events and festival insurance cover

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