Nightclubs want in on the 2027 rates relief before the Budget
The NTIA says dedicated clubs were left out of the 20% hospitality relief, as new figures show late-night venues closing at almost twice the market rate.
The Night Time Industries Association wants dedicated nightclubs added to the government's 20% business rates relief for hospitality, The Morning Advertiser reports. The scheme starts on 1 April 2027 and covers eligible pubs, social clubs and live music venues, but not dedicated nightclubs.
The numbers behind the ask The latest Night Time Economy Market Monitor from the NTIA and NielsenIQ, powered by CGA, puts the losses at: - 455 nightclubs gone since March 2020, a 36.5% contraction - Late-night venues overall, including late bars and casinos, down 28.7% between March 2020 and June 2026, against 14.4% for the total market - 374 net night-time economy outlets lost in the first half of 2026, only 13 of them late-night venues
The figures are net, so they account for openings as well as permanent closures.
The NTIA also wants a fresh look at employment costs (employer National Insurance included), more help for independents and wider recognition of electronic music and club culture. Chief executive Michael Kill said ministers should "stop leaving nightclubs behind". The Budget is on 28 October.
What it means for groups: if your estate runs late-licence sites, check exactly how each one is classified for the April 2027 relief. A pub with a late licence and a dedicated club may land on opposite sides of the line, and that gap matters for 2027 budgets.
Source: The Morning Advertiser (opens in a new tab)
- business-rates
- nightclubs
- ntia
- budget
- late-night