The chief executive of Luminar, the UK’s biggest nightclub operator, has predicted tough times ahead for the club industry.

Stephen Thomas told The Times that half of the UK’s 2,700 nightclubs could close in the next 18 months, but said that he expected many venues to reopen under pre-pack administrations.

He told the newspaper that Luminar was not looking to make any acquisitions either, saying that “of the 2,000-odd clubs in the country not owned by us, we’d be interested in less than eight”.

He also supported chief medical officer Liam Donaldson’s suggestion of a minimum price for alcohol based on the number of units each drink contains.