Britain’s nightlife industry has seen a small but notable increase in the number of venues for the first time in over a year. Between March and June, the number of late-night venues rose by 0.4%, according to the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), marking the first growth since March 2025. The association, which represents businesses in the late-night economy, said this modest increase comes after years of decline, particularly during the pandemic and its aftermath. Since March 2020, the sector has lost more than a quarter of its venues, with nearly 29% of Britain’s late-night economy disappearing. Nightclubs have been hit hardest, with a 36% drop in numbers since the start of the pandemic. This decline has been driven by changing consumer habits, with fewer people going out late at night. In contrast, bars have seen a more positive trend, increasing by 3.1% since before the pandemic, making them the only major sub-sector to grow in size over the past six years. Despite the recent growth, the number of venues is still 3.1% lower than it was in June of last year. The NTIA has called on Chancellor John Healey to use his upcoming autumn Budget to support the industry’s recovery. Michael Kill, the association’s chief executive, noted that Britain’s nightlife has faced repeated challenges over the past six years and that these figures highlight the scale of the losses. He said that while the recent increase in venue numbers is a positive sign, businesses still need help with taxation, operating costs, and investment in infrastructure like transport and safety. The report also found that consumers are spending less in the late evening and early night, as they tend to go out and return home earlier. Across the entire night-time industry, which includes all licensed venues in Britain, the total number of venues remained roughly the same in the three months ending in June, showing that the recovery is still fragile and uneven.