‘The UK is a struggle at the moment’ says Wayne Lineker

NIGHTCLUB owner Wayne Lineker, brother of football pundit Gary Lineker, has shared his concern over his businesses in the UK as strikes threaten to cripple the hospitality sector.

He told GB News: “We’ve got several venues in the UK – Skinny Kitchen, for example, are really suffering at the moment from all the train strikes. We’re normally very vibrant right now but it’s very sporadic at the moment and unfortunately, we’re taking a bit of a hit in the UK at the minute.”

“The Christmas season is a very, very good time for us profit-wise. It’s very big for us in December and January – well, up to New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately, it’s very difficult planning events when this is going on.

“I’ll tell you one thing, it’s a struggle at the moment. And especially with the way people are forecasting people’s fortunes as it were.

In an interview with Mark Dolan, he said: “It’s a struggle to see that it’ll pick back up like it used to be. Everyone still goes abroad on holidays, with any spare cash they’ve got they seem to want to spend it on holidays. So as far as our business abroad is concerned, we’re not too worried. But in the UK, it’s going to take a hit for sure.”

Wayne owns Ocean beach in Ibiza, which was hit by the restrictions during Covid in 2020 which saw a drastic reduction in holidaymakers and tourism, though last year was the best yet.

He said: “It’s been a miraculous turnaround, from dire straits to, to having the most successful year ever last year. Yeah, it’s been amazing.

“During Covid, I walked into the bar at seven o’clock on a Tuesday night, just after Boris had called for the quarantine and normally we’d have 1,500 people in there on a Tuesday. I walked in there at 7pm at night and there were 14 people in there.

“We’ve got 160 tables and beds and there were two beds taken. I walked out of the venue and I just cried my eyes out, it was a horrific moment. And seeing it as it is now this summer, I just stood back and looked at the people having an amazing time.

“And that’s what motivates me, to see the people dancing, smiling, happy, and it was so amazing. To see that and feel that’s what we brought to the table here. That’s a special thing for me.”

Wayne, who also owns his own brand of sports bars called Lineker’s Bar, found himself going viral in September after dancers at his Ibiza club paid “tribute” to the late Queen.

He said: “The tribute went viral. I think where it all went wrong was sending the dancers out dressed as guards in thongs. I think that’s where it all went wrong.

“It was a tribute, Ibiza-style. We were happy with it. But on Twitter it was a different story, they didn’t like it.

“I accept the stick that we got for it, but it was done from a good place, trust me.”

This Christmas will be a much quieter affair for Wayne: “I’m going back to Ibiza to see my grand-daughters and we’re going to have a nice family time and no partying for me, I do all that in the summer.

“I try to relax a little bit in the winter because, I mean, my doctors called me a medical marvel because I have tests done every summer when I get back from Ibiza.

“And they just say it’s remarkable Wayne how you are even alive let alone in good health.”