The owner of Pryzm Watford is fearful that more night venues may have to shut due to the lack of government support and the delay of ‘freedom day’.

Pryzm Watford along with other nightclubs across the UK were preparing to fully reopen on June 21 – dubbed ‘freedom day’ – after being practically shut since the first lockdown.

Boris Johnson officially confirmed that due to the concerns of the Delta variant, the proposed lifting of all lockdown restrictions will be pushed back up to four weeks, with the new revised date currently at July 19.

This means that the planned opening week celebrations at Pryzm Watford have been put on hold, and the venue can only continue operating a socially distanced ‘Pub in a Club’ event every Friday and Saturday.

However, the Pub in a Club events – which restricts capacity and prohibits use of the dance floor – is not sustainable long-term and does not generate profitable income.

Watford Observer: Pryzm Watford's manager is calling for more funding (Photo: Holly Cant)Pryzm Watford's manager is calling for more funding (Photo: Holly Cant)

It is understood that the revenue from Pub in a Club only helps offset a fraction of the club’s costs.

UK nightlife operator Deltic, that formerly owned Pryzm, was bought out of administration for £10m last year after being unable to operate since the start of the first lockdown.

REKOM UK now runs Pryzm, and operations director Russell Quelch previously told the Watford Observer in February that the Government has “yet to pay a penny” to the late-night sector.

Now Pryzm Watford’s general manager, Jason Ash, says that the late-night sector urgently needs more financial support.

He said: “Having been closed for almost 16 months, we are very disappointed by yesterday’s decision.

“The late-night sector, including clubs like ours, urgently needs additional financial support from the Treasury.

“Unlike other parts of hospitality, we have not been allowed to trade. Despite the fact that we have no income coming in, we have rates to pay, furlough coming to an end and landlords that will want paying when the moratorium on rents ends later this month, June 30.

“If the Government doesn’t act now, we stand to lose more of our iconic late-night venues that have been at the heart of local late-night economies for years.”

Watford Observer: Pryzm Watford (Photo: Holly Cant)Pryzm Watford (Photo: Holly Cant)

When REKOM’s operations director spoke to the Observer, he previously said: “As a business, we were fortunate to have been given a lifeline by REKOM who bought us [Deltic] out of administration at the end of last year, securing the future of Pryzm Watford.

“Sadly, there are hundreds of good businesses out there not as fortunate as us who still face the real threat of closure and job losses.”

All ticket holders that purchased tickets for events between June 21 and July 18 will be contacted via email to explain the situation.

Meanwhile, Bar Bodega in the Parade has announced it is offically closing.

The Prime Minister said he is “confident” he will not need to extend the lockdown beyond July 19 but “now is the time to ease off the accelerator” in what has been described as a “difficult choice”.