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Night-time cultural sector hit with 86,000 job losses due to Covid-19

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Night-time cultural sector hit with 86,000 job losses due to Covid-19

Research has estimated that 393,000 jobs have been lost across the night-time economy due to Covid-19, including 86,000 in the “night-time cultural economy” (NTCE), which includes nightclubs and theatres.

The research, commissioned by the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) and conducted by leisure consultants CGA and night-time economy researchers Make, found that the sector in the UK – encompassing restaurants, bars, casinos, cultural venues and more – had been steadily growing over the last decade, reaching a peak in 2019. Within that broader sector, the NTCE employed 425,000 people that year, a 12.2% increase since 2010, with the sector valued at £36.4bn.

The NTCE had been projected to continue growing, along with the wider night-time industries, at 9% over the period 2020-2024, but has instead suffered job losses as venues were forced to close during the coronavirus crisis.

Michael Kill, head of NTIA, called on the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, to extend the reduced 12.5% VAT rate for hospitality businesses until 2024 to help the sector recover, and for the Treasury not to add further duty on alcohol.

He also called on the government not to introduce vaccine passports for entry to night-time events, “which will further damage a sector essential to economic recovery”. The passports are required in Scotland and Wales, and were being readied in the UK before the health secretary, Sajid Javid, announced the plans were being scrapped.

Responding to the NTIA report’s findings, Sacha Lord, an events promoter who is also Manchester’s night-time economy adviser, said: “We’re in a dire position and in order to recover to pre-pandemic levels, we need investment, strategy and most importantly, top-level acknowledgment of the industry’s contribution to the UK economy. Take any city, town or village in the UK, and you’ll find its pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants are central to its recovery. The nightlife scene is critical to our post-Brexit, post-Covid future and economic growth, and to ignore it would be a devastating blow to our cultural reputation.”

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Entertainment

Bobrisky finally jets out of Nigeria after release from EFCC custody

Controversial social media personality and crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, known as Bobrisky has finally left the country hours after his release from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, custody.

The crossdresser shared the update in a series of posts on his Instagram story on Monday morning.

Announcing his departure in a now-trending video, he wrote, “See u soon Nigeria. Dis girl bought a first class ticket 3 times that is over 30 million. Raise bar for dis girl.”

Bobrisky successfully left Nigeria after two failed attempts.

Bobrisky was re-arrested in Lagos last week by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at Murtala Mohammed International Airport while boarding a flight to London.

He was re-arrested a few days after his first arrest at the Seme border by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) while attempting to leave Nigeria.

Bobrisky has been under investigation after an audio recording allegedly surfaced on social media in which he claimed to have bribed EFCC officers with N15 million.

Last week, he was detained by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) at the Seme border while allegedly attempting to escape the country.

The cross-dresser has been under investigation after an audio recording surfaced in which Bobrisky allegedly claimed he was permitted to serve his six-month jail term outside of Kirikiri prison due to “influential connections”.

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Entertainment

Multi-talented musician, Quincy Jones dies at 91

Quincy Jones, American multi-talented music titan, whose vast legacy ranged from producing Micheal Jackson’s historic Thriller album to writing prize winning film and television scores has died at the age of 91.

His publicist Arnold Robinson confirmed that the music producer died in his home on Sunday surrounded by his family.

In a statement, his family said: “Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing.

“And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”

Jones rose from running with gangs of the South Side of Chicago to the very heights of show business, becoming one of the first Black executives to thrive in Hollywood.

Through out his career which spans more than 70 years, Jones achieve 28 Grammy award wins out of 80 nominations. Dues to his influencer in the entertainment industry, Jones kept company with the presidents and foregin leaders, movie stars and musicians philanthropist and business leaders.

He composed the soundtracks for Roots, organized President Bill Clinton’s first inaugural celebration and oversaw the all-star recording of We are the World, the 1985 charity record for famine relief in Africa.

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Entertainment

Miami Beach officially revokes Diddy’s Key to the City

Miami Beach has taken the final steps to cut all ties with Diddy, officially revoking his Key to the City amid his ongoing legal problems.

The music mogul has been stripped of this honor following a series of troubling developments, including his recent arrest, indictment, and a wave of sexual assault lawsuits that have surfaced against him. The legal drama comes nine years after he was first awarded the Key to the City.

During an in-person hearing this week, Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner and the city commission unanimously decided to rescind Diddy’s honor. While the mayor still needs to formally sign the resolution, that step is expected to happen soon.

Diddy was recognized with the ceremonial key in 2015, celebrated for his contributions to the music industry and his pivotal role in organizing the Revolt Music Conference held in Miami Beach. Notable city commissioners, including Joe Magazine, David Suarez, Tanya Katzoff Bhatt, and Alex Fernandez, were instrumental sponsors of the award.

In June 2024, the city took another significant step by officially revoking October 13th as “Sean Diddy Combs Day.” This resolution followed the public release of a disturbing assault video involving Cassie, which prompted city officials to reconsider their recognition of the Bad Boy founder.

Reports earlier this month indicated that officials were already in the process of stripping him of this award. It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time Diddy has lost an honorary key from a city; he returned New York’s Key to the City in June after Mayor Eric Adams requested its return in a formal letter.

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