DELTIC INVESTS £8m TO DEFY NIGHTCLUBS CRISIS

The number of nightclubs in the UK has fallen from 3,144 in 2005 to 1,733 last year

Each week, Deltic sells 1,300 bottles of champagne and prosecco and uses 4,900 lemons, 14,578 limes, 25kg of strawberries and 4kg of mint

Halloween is the busiest night of the year for nightclubs. Deltic attracts 80,000 customers

Last year it handed out 3,944 pairs of flip-flops to clubbers unable to walk home in their high-heels

It is estimated that Britain’s late-night businesses such as pubs and clubs contribute around £180bn to the economy

NIGHTCLUB group Deltic is planning an £8m investment despite fears of a crisis in the sector.

The number of UK clubs has almost halved in the past decade, but Deltic, which owns the Pryzm and Oceana brands, is to refurbish some of its 59 clubs.

Private-equity backed Deltic rose out of the ashes of Luminar, the publicly quoted leisure group that had to be rescued from administration in 2011.

The firm has also created a drinking venue called Bar & Beyond, which opened in Chelmsford last year and has been extended to Stevenage with a third scheduled to open in Sheffield. Finance director Russell Margerrison said: ‘This latest round of investment demonstrates that the late-night economy in the UK is healthy.

‘We pride ourselves on really understanding our guests and what they want. The Pryzm concept has proved especially successful with multiple music rooms, celebrity DJs and a focus on service.

‘These new concepts, coupled with the return of freshers, is expected to deliver a significant uplift in trading at the start of our busiest period of the year.’

Deltic will convert Oceana in Watford and Plymouth into Pryzm and its Liquid venue in Halifax will be refitted as Atik.