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Nightclub owners have urged the government to let them reopen, warning that thousands of jobs could be lost if they remain closed.
The Night Time Industries Association has provided a series of ideas on how to ensure they can reopen safely – including asking patrons to wear face masks.
The amount of people on the dance floor at one time could also be restricted, while clubbers could be forced to undergo temperature tests on arrival.
Stressing the need for clubs to reopen, the association said the sector is at risk of reaching a “critical point”, with no clear path yet established on how the night-time economy will eventually return.
A new report said: “Whilst there are some areas of increased risks over other sectors there are many real benefits that such businesses have over other sectors, particularly as all our venues have security to give 100% cover of matters such as temperature checks, track and trace, and keeping customer behaviour in check.”
It added: “Use of face-coverings on the dancefloor can be implemented and enforced through existing security staff and protocols.”
Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, said: “We have now reached a critical point. In the absence of a clear reopening strategy from government, or the promise of financial support, huge numbers of businesses within our industry are facing financial collapse and thousands of job losses.
“The report we have launched today clearly shows that there is a case for the safe reopening of night-time leisure venues, including nightclubs, late night bars, live music venues and event spaces.
“Whilst many of these are large capacity venues, it is important to note that they already have many of the safety protocols in place to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. We implore the government to give us the opportunity to reopen in a safe, risk-assessed way.”
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