Nightclub owners have warned they face a looming “financial armageddon” that could put three quarters of a million people in the struggling night-time economy out of work within weeks.

More than half of members of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) fear they will collapse within the next two months unless they receive increased government support to see them through the coronavirus crisis, according to a survey by the trade body.

This could cost 754,000 jobs, the NTIA warned, with nightclubs particularly hard hit – particularly in smaller towns – due to ongoing uncertainty about when they will be allowed to reopen.

The concerns echo those of some pub owners, who have complained that they have nothing to gain from measures such as a VAT cut on food and the “eat out to help out” meal discount scheme.

“We will be looking at a redundancy round as early as the next two or three weeks [unless something changes], which could involve several hundred, mainly young, people,” said Peter Marks, chief executive of Deltic Group, the UK’s largest nightclub operator with 53 venues.

He said the group, which has clubs in cities and student towns across the country, had not been eligible for any state support for businesses at risk of collapse due to Covid-19.

“We have played the game, not tried to pretend our venues are pubs or anything, not done anything but toe the government line but we’ve had no financial assistance that will enable us to survive if this goes on.

“Every week that passes we’re in a more precarious position. If we don’t have an opening date, how on earth can we survive and plan? We believe there’s a way back but if the government need us to shut then they’ve got to help us.”

According to the NTIA survey of 360 businesses, more than 70% expect to make at least half of their workforce redundant by September and 58% won’t survive more than two months without financial assistance.

“These results feel like the final catastrophic blow to the night-time economy,” said NTIA chief executive Michael Kill.

“These businesses cannot fight for their survival for much longer. The night-time economy employs 1.3m people in the UK and contributes £66bn to the UK economy per annum.

“Give us a clear roadmap on when businesses can reopen and reassurance that the financial support will be there to keep businesses financially afloat in the coming months.”