Karaoke chain Lucky Voice enters administration, closing three of six sites

Mixed · 2Lucky Voice, the private-room karaoke and cocktail bar chain operating since 2005, has entered administration and is closing half of its six UK sites with immediate effect. 1 2 Mixed · 2The closures cost 53 jobs. 1 2 Mixed · 2The sites in Brighton, Waterloo and Islington were not included in a pre-pack deal and shut immediately, while the Soho, Holborn and Liverpool Street sites in London transfer to the Swedish karaoke bar firm Moyagi Group. 1 2

Mixed · 2Legal advisers DWF said 59 employees will transfer to the new owner. 1 2 Mixed · 2Lucky Voice said it will not give refunds to anyone with bookings at the three closed venues, but all bookings at the three remaining venues will be honoured. 1 2 Right · 1Administrators cited a "deterioration" in trading over the past 12 months. Steve Absolom, managing director at Interpath and joint administrator, said the night-time economy faces "significant headwinds" from rising employment costs, elevated energy bills and consumers who are more selective about discretionary spending. 1

Left · 1Absolom said the priority now is to support staff at the closed sites with redundancy claims and to ensure a smooth transition of the continuing sites to Moyagi. 2 Mixed · 2The chain launched in the mid-2000s nightlife boom and had previously run pods in Tiger Tiger venues in cities including Manchester and Cardiff. 1 2