While nightclubs are set to provisionally return in the UK from June, clubbers in London have been dealt a blow by the news that the capital’s Night Tube service won’t return until 2022.

The news creates another hurdle for nightclubs, who are hoping for a clear path to financial recovery as they try to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

Transport Commissioner Andy Byford told the Evening Standard: “We need the personnel to keep the day services going and frankly there isn’t the demand for it, so there are no immediate plans to restore the Night Tube within a year, and certainly not before 2022.

“Securing the whole network is more important than keeping the night tube going.”

According to Byford, the Friday and Saturday night services will be the last part of London’s transport network to return to normal.

“Securing the whole network is more important than keeping the night tube going,” he said.

Underground’s Managing Director Andy Lord added: “We are continuing to review our options for when we might be able to reintroduce the full Friday and Saturday Night Tube in a safe and viable way and are exploring the feasibility of reintroducing some services on one or two lines more quickly.

“The full introduction of Night Tube services is not possible in the immediate future due to a number of factors including the continuing need to use Night Tube drivers during the day to run as much service as possible when demand is at its highest.”

Nightclubs are currently set to return in London on June 21, marking the final stage of England’s roadmap out of coronavirus-enforced restrictions.