Are super clubs dead? Opinion With young people now opting for smaller, cheaper and more intimate venues, the days of the super club look numbered, writes Sacha Lord.
Losses widen at owner of scandal-hit The Groucho Club Business Losses have widened at the owner of The Groucho Club in London despite its turnover rising during its latest financial year. The Groucho Club is one of London’s most famous private members’ clubs and has been going since 1985. The Soho venue was founded a a more relaxed alternative to traditional gentlemen’s clubs and has [...]
Heston Blumenthal calls for VAT cut to ‘save British pubs’ hospitality Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal has called on the government and licensees to take urgent action to halt the closure of thousands of UK pubs. The chef, who owns owner of the Michelin-starred gastropub The Hinds Head, is campaigning for a reduction to the UK’s VAT rate, which is one of the highest in Europe. He [...]
Greene King landlords plea for Rachel Reeves to cut bills September 1, 2025 More than 600 Greene King landlords have called on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to lower taxes for pubs ahead of the Autumn Budget as the sector grapples with ever-rising costs. The hospitality industry has been vocal about the cost pressures it has been facing since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020, with businesses facing surging energy, [...]
London pub scene ‘showing real resilience’ despite soaring costs August 7, 2025 The number of pubs in London has barely budged in the last decade despite heavy pressure on the capital’s hospitality scene. There are 3,523 pubs in the capital, only 10 fewer than in 2023 and just under the 3,530 venues recorded in 2017, according to data from the ONS. “The data shows it’s far from [...]
Here’s why the Simmons bar was never going to last August 6, 2025 It should have worked. On every level. Millennial pink neon art, reliably late opening hours, chugging cheap cocktails to disco playlists. Who doesn’t like disco playlists? And yet, after taking the “tough decision” to close four bars, Simmons has gone into administration, owing millions to the bank and tax collectors. When Simmons launched in 2013, [...]
The Debate: Should we turn empty City office blocks into nightlife venues? July 16, 2025 A new report has imagined a future where ravers head to the disused office blocks of the City on the weekends. Is it madness or genius?
UK nightlife economy under pressure as venues struggle May 27, 2025 The UK’s nightlife industry, once a powerful driver of urban business, faces mounting pressures as shifting consumer habits, economic headwinds and regulatory challenges tighten the squeeze on late-night operators. Phil Urban, chief executive of one of the UK’s largest pub and bar chains, Mitchells & Butlers, has warned that the late-night segment is “the toughest [...]
Don’t sack the DJ: Group urges government to protect electronic music February 6, 2025 An industry body has called on the government to recognise the power of electronic music in reshaping and revitalising the UK’s struggling nightlife. A slightly unlikely poster child of the UK’s creative industry, electronic music contributed £2.4bn to the UK economy last year, with £646.1m of that from festival revenues. Leading the charge not only [...]
Sadiq Khan launches new nightlife squad to advise on replacing Amy Lamé February 4, 2025 Sadiq Khan has launched a new London nightlife taskforce which is expected to advise on whether the former Night Czar, Amy Lamé, should be replaced. The Mayor of London launched the new independent nightlife committee, which will be led by fabric nightclub founder Cameron Leslie, on Tuesday. It is aimed at supporting the capital’s nighttime [...]