The report, commissioned by the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), shows for the first time the value of the UK’s night time cultural economy, which was 1.6 per cent of GDP – or £36.4bn – in 2019. This contribution accounted for 425,000 jobs across the UK.

The revelations have implications for the wider economy’s recovery from the pandemic, with clear evidence of significant economic ‘scarring’. While the government is portraying shortages in many sectors as being ‘transitional’ on the path to a high wage economy, there are fears that many of the jobs lost to the pandemic in the night time economy sector will lost for good, with businesses closing and persistently lower demand for services.

Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, which has been leading the opposition to government proposals for vaccine passports, said that the new data shows that “it is the worst possible time to introduce vaccine passports, which will further damage a sector essential to the economic recovery.”

The news comes after Mr Kill and the NTIA have made a series of recommendations to the Chancellor on how to support the sector ahead of the upcoming Budget.

“It is crucial the Chancellor use the upcoming Budget to support this beleaguered sector. We are calling for him to extend the 12.5% rate of VAT on hospitality until 2024, include door sales in that reduced rate of VAT, because the present system punishes nightclubs that rely on door sales rather than selling tickets, and for him to ensure there are no increases in Alcohol Duties – our sector really cannot afford any additional burdens.”