Nightlife & Hospitality 2025: The Big Chill
Fasten your seat‑belts: more than 6,000 angry pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants have sorted out the whole “amend MBE” thing and stamped official letters straight into the driver’s seats of our MPs. The demand? An emergency funding smack‑down that would keep the industry alive while they’re still juggling pandemic fallout and a budget‑slash storm.
Where’s the Money To Go?
- Cost inflation? Oh yeah. 70% of night‑time economy businesses say their survival clock runs in weeks, not months. The verdict: “If we can’t meet these ridiculous operating costs, we’re out of business.”
- The pandemic strike‑back. We’re still scratching the surface of recovery; the debt tsunami that followed leaves a deep skip that’s now scarred by a new surge in overheads.
- Energy – the new villain. Once the UK was fine with a modest £60,000 energy bill, it’s now ballooned to £420,000. Energy company Bruce the British Gas even warned pubs that “lights off” may become a reality if rates stay this high.
- When energy contracts go rogue. “Between 300% to 1,000% of our current contract rates” – that’s the new reality. People say Ofgem’s recent cap hike has made the search for loans jump by 295%.
Profitability Is All But Gone
We’re in the midst of a perfect storm – higher costs, flatter margins, and customers who are feeling the pinch in their pockets. Over 65% of pubs and restaurants are on the financial brink. When businesses can’t pass on the price hike, they’ll see a wave of customers retreating or skipping out entirely.
The Lobbying Squad
NTIA and key stakeholders have been on the front line, lobbying every government minister and future leadership team for an emergency relief package. “We’ve seen closures in record speeds,” says Michael Kill, CEO of NTIA. “And the numbers do the talking – over 6,000 letters, 70% facing closure in just weeks.”
His call is crystal: reduce VAT, extend business rates relief, and activate an energy price cap for SMEs. The survival package could shift the industry from collapse to a new, hopeful chapter.
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