Owner says future of Northampton's NBs nightclub at risk under lockdown pressure

The owner of Northampton's NBs says he will have to consider "letting go" of the Bridge Street nightclub if the lockdown persists as late as October.

Yesterday (May 11), the Government announced its "phased" plan to ease the UK out of its lockdown restrictions.

Amidst this, the plan stated that venues like nightclubs whose "core purpose is social interaction" will only be opened "significantly later" than places like parks and some sports facilities.

The Government says it aims to "open at least some of the businesses" that have had to close "no earlier than July 4", but this will likely not include crowded venues like nightclubs.

Now, NBs co-director Marc Sawer says the future of nightclubs like his are at risk when faced with the prospect of potentially staying shut for the entire summer.

He told the Chronicle & Echo: "It's been frustrating because we really don't have any solid idea of what's going to happen or when.

"If bars and clubs aren't going to be able to open towards September or October we will have to let NBs go.

"And personally, I think NBs is one of the biggest venues in the town and losing it would have a massive impact on the nighttime economy of Northampton."

He says NBs' monthly bills for rent and business rates amount to £18,000 a month - and that includes a 25 per cent rent reduction by his landlords for April through July.

Further, the club is too big to qualify for the Covid-19 business relief grant - unlike Marc's other two Bridge Street properties; The King Billy rock pub and The Church Restaurant.

Marc said: "It feels like we cannot possibly open until after August, and that's being positive.

"Social distancing in a nightclub like NBs is impossible.

"NBs runs on a week by week basis - the money we make in a week pays the bills for that week.

"Even with a bounce-back loan, that would only pay rent for another four months and it's gone - and I don't think NBs can afford another loan.

"My landlord can legally ask for rent - but I think it's completely unfair in the bigger scheme of things. No one needs thousands of pounds a week to 'survive' in a lockdown.

"I know there must be thousands of businesses out there who won't have the money to pay their landlords. If the Government doesn't realise that and do something I think thousands of businesses will close and we will face one of the worst recessions in history."

It comes at the same time pub landlords across Northampton have today criticised the "confusing" Government plans for pubs and lack of further financial support for the industry.Correction: An earlier version of this article said the Government had "no timescale for any action" in its phased plan. This was meant to refer to when crowded venues like nightclubs would reopen but was poorly-worded. The article was rewritten to make this clearer and include the estimate date of Phase Three.