What the latest closure figures mean for the places drum and bass is played
The industry's own monitor says bars, clubs and casinos fell 5.1 per cent in a year, and the sector is 28.9 per cent smaller than in March 2020. Here are the numbers and who said them.
Photo: uclu photosoc, CC BY-SA 2.0. Illustrative, not from the story
Drum and bass lives in rooms: clubs, warehouses, pubs with a sound system. So the health of the late-night sector is not a side issue for the scene. It is the scene's infrastructure.
The numbers
The Night-Time Economy Market Monitor, produced by NIQ and powered by CGA intelligence alongside the Night Time Industries Association, reported in May 2026 that the number of bars, clubs and casinos fell by 1 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 and by 5.1 per cent over the previous twelve months. Since March 2020 the sector has contracted by 28.9 per cent, which the report puts at roughly three net closures a week. Late-night bars were closing at a rate of about six a month over the past year. The figures were reported by The Morning Advertiser on 22 May 2026. They cover the whole late-night sector, not drum and bass nights in particular.
What the people behind it say
Karl Chessell, a director at NIQ, said that while every part of hospitality faces tough trading, the night-time economy has borne the brunt of closures. Mike Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, said demand is changing rather than disappearing, but warned of a real risk of losing vital parts of the country's cultural and social fabric.
What we can see from the listings
We cannot tell you how many drum and bass venues have closed. What we can show is where nights are still happening. On The Door currently lists more than fifty upcoming drum and bass and jungle nights across the UK, and our city pages show them by place and date.
Where to find them
Start with all upcoming nights, or pick a city. Every night links to its On The Door page for tickets.
