‘My venues are being held hostage and destroyed by Tube strikes’

London’s nightlife are pleading with Tube strikers to rethink their planned action saying they ‘can’t cope with any more losses’.

Drivers from the RMT union will walk out for days at a time over the spring months over the introduction of a four-day work week.

Not only will this leave Londoners battling to get to work, but for some business owners this could be the final nail in the coffin for their livelihoods.

And they feel like they are building ‘held hostage’ as unions and the London Underground fight.

‘These strikes always seem to come when the chips are down,’ Andy Kerr told Metro.

Andy owns five cocktail venues across the capital, including The Umbrella Workshop in Shoreditch, the Discount Suit Company in Whitechapel, and Parasol in Hackney.

‘It can take off 40% off our daily take-home’

And every time strikes come around, he and his employees are affected ‘really, really badly’.

He said: ‘The strikes can take off up to 40% of what would be our evening trade. It completely destroys our night.

‘We rely on people across the capital to come and see us, but if customers have no way of getting here and getting home of course they are going to cancel their bookings.’

The strikes come at a time when venues face dwindling post-pandemic footfall and soaring business rates – which for Andy is adding an extra £30,000 a year.

‘Death by one thousand cuts’

Maria Constantinou, who runs Soho Arts Theatre Club, said: ‘It’s death by one thousand cuts.

‘We are already faced with rising rates, increase in employment costs, and council red tape – and now Tube strikes!’

Even the weather is not on their side, with the non-stop rain which has covered London limiting profits.

Missy Flynn, co-founder of Rita’s in Soho, said: ‘Could they have not have held them when it was raining? Now it’sstarting to dry up, people are coming out again!’

Chef Eran Tibi, who founded Bala Baya, added: ‘That’s exactly why they do it. So we all feel the pain.’

And it is not just owners who suffer. Bar workers and kitchen staff on hourly pay face being sent home and having their wages cut.

Lower-paid staff set to miss wages

Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, said: ‘The reality is simple: if staff cannot get to work and customers cannot travel safely and affordably across the city, venues lose trade, workers lose income and businesses already operating on razor-thin margins face further instability.

‘The scale and timing of this action will have severe consequences for an industry that contributes billions to the UK economy and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs.

‘London cannot afford to repeatedly paralyse the very transport system that keeps its cultural and economic heartbeat alive after dark.’

When are the London Underground strikes?

The strikes have been called over the introduction of a four-day work week, which the RMT union said staff had previously rejected.

Eddie Dempsey, RMT general secretary, said: ‘London Underground is trying to force through major changes to working patterns that have already been rejected by our members.’

Here are the announced strike dates:

• 24–25 March (12:00 Tuesday – 11:59 Wednesday)
• 26–27 March (12:00 Thursday – 11:59 Friday)
• 21–22 April (12:00 Tuesday – 11:59 Wednesday)
• 23–24 April (12:00 Thursday – 11:59 Friday)
• 19–20 May (12:00 Tuesday – 11:59 Wednesday)
• 21–22 May (12:00 Thursday – 11:59 Friday)

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