Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), said: “The announcement of further Tube strikes in the crucial run-up to Christmas is the last thing London’s nightlife and hospitality sector needs, particularly following a deeply disappointing Budget that failed to deliver the meaningful support our industry desperately needs.
Businesses are already facing enormous financial pressures, rising operating costs and fragile consumer confidence. The Golden Quarter represents a critical trading period for thousands of venues, many of which depend on festive revenues to survive the quieter months ahead.
Further transport disruption risks devastating footfall, triggering cancellations and stripping vital revenue from businesses already operating on a knife-edge.
While we recognise the importance of workers’ rights, the wider economic consequences cannot be ignored. Our sector cannot continue to be collateral damage in industrial disputes.
We urgently call on the RMT and Transport for London to reach a resolution before these strikes take place.
Following a Budget that offered little hope, the last thing our sector needs is a transport shutdown during its most important trading period. Christmas should be an opportunity for recovery, not another fight for survival.”
