Nightclub owners in funding plea
NIGHTTIME economy bosses fear the industry faces ‘financial armageddon’ without more government support. Operators have warned of mass redundancies, as more than half of businesses believe they won’t last more than two months without continued government support.
A survey by the Night-Time Industries Association Scotland (NTIAS) of its membership to assess the impact of Covid-19 after the lockdown on March 23 revealed that 83 per cent of businesses are set to make staff redundant.
Up to 76 per cent are ready to make more than half of their workforce redundant within a matter of weeks, while 58 per cent of businesses fear they will not survive longer than two months without further Government support.
As little as 19 per cent of respondents said they have been able to repurpose their businesses.
Mike Grieve, owner of SubClub in Glasgow and director of NTIAS, concert promoter Donald Macleod, owner of The Garage and Cathouse Rock Club in Glasgow, and Geoff Ellis, of DF Concerts, called on the Scottish Government to provide emergency funding.
The NTIAS released the stark findings on Thursday and is now calling for an extension of the UK Government’s coronavirus job retention scheme.
Michael Kill, NTIAS chief executive, has called for an indication of when late night premises can reopen and believes no further financial assistance after October could be “potentially fatal for the future of the night-time economy”.
Mr Kill said: “Without immediate additional help and clear indication of when we can reopen we are facing financial Armageddon.
“I implore the Government to act on this data.
“Give us a clear roadmap on when businesses can reopen and reassurance that the financial support will be there to keep businesses financially afloat in the coming months.”