THE owners of an Amesbury nightclub have announced "with a heavy heart" that their venue will not be reopening, as the nighttime economy is "thrown under the bus".

The Bank, which had opened in the town's High Street in 2018, had, alongside the rest of the nightlife sector, closed as a result of the coronavirus lockdown.

Yesterday it was announced on The Bank's Facebook page that the club and entertainment venue would not be reopening.

In a statement it said: "It is with a heavy heart that we have taken the decision not to reopen The Bank.

"Covid-19 has had a profound impact on many businesses and the hospitality sector has not been immune. We were grateful for the much needed grant back in March but that can only go so far.

"We have been very fortunate to draw on the success of The New Inn to keep a roof over the head of The Bank, but with the latest restrictions, it is not sensible for us to keep ploughing money into The Bank when there is no light at the end of the tunnel."

It added: "The late night economy has been thrown under the bus. Nightclubs across the country are closing by the day because there is no funding or support for this £66 billion industry.

"We fully accept the need to implement restrictions to reduce the risk of Covid, but that doesn’t mean that we should be left in the corner.

"The consequence of the difficult situation we all face is the loss of jobs, a loss of a community asset and a huge loss of so much effort that has been put into The Bank."

The team behind the club hopes to launch a new cocktail bar and nightclub "when things settle down".

The Bank has been approached for comment.