Reopening nightclubs 'key' to regenerating high street
This comes as Labour’s shadow levelling-up secretary and MP for Wigan, Lisa Nandy, stated in an interview with The Times reopening nightclubs could be the key to helping struggling towns.
NTIA CEO Michael Kill said: “Hospitality and the late-night economy were one of the quickest industries to rebound during the financial crash many years ago, harbouring an abundance of resilience and entrepreneurial spirit.
“It’s without a doubt these businesses have a huge part to play in the regeneration of high streets in towns and cities across the UK.
Key part
“Beyond the generation of footfall through trade, the night-time economy forms a key part of people's decision-making process when choosing a university or college as well as influencing investment choices for businesses relocating or expanding, to accommodate for a young workforce.
"Not forgetting the important part they play in people's physical, mental and social well-being.”
“The Government needs to recognise the economic, cultural, and community value of the night-time economy sector. The key to this is the ability to expand trade, they must look at opportunities to deregulate, create easements within planning and licensing as well as streamlining cost and process to allow for efficient growth and investment."
Furthermore, Nandy stated nightclubs and music venues were imperative to the history and identify of British towns, though the number of licensed clubs in the UK fell from some 10,000 to below 7,000 between 2010 and 2021, according to ONS data, analysed by Stampede and Storekit.
Providing opportunities
Speaking to Times Radio she said: “Every single town has lost a nightclub they feel very strongly about, that was part of our history and our heritage, in Wigan we had northern soul and we miss all of that greatly.
“Live music venues that used to sustain bands like the Verve, who come from Wigan, who could gig and play around Wigan, not just have to travel into Manchester to do it, those things have disappeared in the last couple of decades.
“There is a serious point behind this because as well as providing those opportunities for young people from every part of the country and the culture and the history and the identity that goes with it, it means we’re reflected in the national story.”
