65 UK nightclubs have closed in 2024 in “unprecedented crisis”

https://www.nme.com/news/music/65-uk-nightclubs-have-closed-in-2024-in-unprecedented-crisis-3797492

Posted by Captaincadet

35 Comments

  1. Young people drink less, have less disposable income and are more likely to sit in with friends and play a game/watch a film or whatever.

  2. Is it really a “crisis” or are people’s tastes just changing? Nightclubs aren’t representative of our culture like pubs are, nor can they be argued that they are a public benefit. Why should people care?

  3. AcademicIncrease8080 on

    If you can’t make profit charging £17 for a double vodka and coke then your business deserves to go under

  4. ConsistentOcelot2851 on

    Grassroots music venues are even worse. I am so grateful for my youth. These places are the backbone of great times.

  5. >Overall, it was found that venues’ rent had increased by 37.5 per cent, with them operating at an average profit margin of just 0.5 per cent.

    Wow, who could possibly have guessed that landleeches were the cause of yet another problem in post-covid society

  6. On_The_Blindside on

    It’s probably worth reminding people on this thread that just because *you* don’t enjoy something, doesn’t mean lots of people can’t and don’t currently enjoy it.

    That’s no need for moral judgement for some people enjoying something you don’t.

  7. I mean being old now I remember the times you’d have to go to a club to carry on a night out.

    The change to allow pubs to stay open was a blessing to those of us that put up but hated clubs due to this.

    Coupled now with how expensive life is now and greater options for meeting people (online etc) it’s not that surprising that clubs are struggling.

  8. Cheaper to sit and drink at home, more fun if I can actually hear my friends too. I suspect more options for home entertainment is partly responsible.

  9. EdmundTheInsulter on

    Maybe if they stopped turning people away for having ginger hair or other stupid reasons.
    Also people don’t like them so much now and they are redundant.

  10. botchybotchybangbang on

    Young people drink less, cos they have more sense than we had. Also greedy councils were told they can decide how much they charge for rates which of course they ripped the ass out of it.

  11. justathrowawaym8y on

    People who dismiss this with shit like “good riddance, hate paying X amount for Y” are incredibly naive imo.

    Music venues, including nightclubs and live venues, are crucial for the continued health of our music culture and hell, culture in general.

    You may say “I hate going out so don’t care”, but I bet the music you’re into was born from venues you celebrate the death of.

    The death of the UK’s night life has a knock on effect on music, culture, local economies and I would argue the social development of our youth.

    Yes, many nightclubs are shit and need to innovate or die. However, it would be all too convenient to assume that’s the case for all of the clubs closing.

  12. It’s market forces. Why should there be ‘an urgent need for intervention’ if people don’t want to go to them? Just because they functioned in the past doesn’t mean they have to continue in the future.

  13. DecentManufacturer27 on

    What do you expect when disposable incomes has fallen for everyone, ESPECIALLY young people who are by far worse off. Sky high housing costs, piss poor wages, create this situation. Supply and demand, basic economics, it is unaffordable to go out.

  14. UK Nightclubs in the 00s –

    Free/Under £5 entry
    £1 pints
    £1 shot/mixers
    3 WKDs for £5

    UK nightclubs in the 10s –

    £3-10 entry
    £2 Pints
    £2.50 Shot/mixers
    3 Jagerbombs for £5
    3 VKs for £10

    Nightclubs today –

    £10+ entry
    £10 pints
    £15 shot/mixers
    3 VKs for £15
    3 Jagerbombs for £10

    Why are so many nightclubs closing?

  15. Not sure that this counts as a “crisis” by even the loosest possible definition.

    The same thing was being said when dancehalls were closing down. Society evolves, entertainment providers either change with it, or close down.

  16. People enjoying music and dancing is older than civilisation. I don’t think we have a real problem here. It’s a failure to provide a good space to do so.

  17. appletinicyclone on

    The big issue is that we have more entertainment at home than out

    People became desocialised over the pandemic and it’s not restored

    If you’re 25 you can go clubbing with your mates once a month or you can go home order a just eat, use a PlayStation portal and game with your mates, watch a film after and chill

    There’s too much friction to going somewhere overpriced when the girls aren’t really turning up there either

  18. Ok-Occasion-6564 on

    Stop lying to yourselves. It’s all down to lack of disposable income and huge price increases everywhere. It is as simple as that.

  19. Ok_Transition_3601 on

    People are clearly more health conscious. Climbing gyms and running club numbers are exploding. Running clubs are just the new wave of clubs. Get with it or get left behind 

  20. I don’t see how this a crisis for anyone other than nightclub owners? Trends change, people move on etc etc

  21. MolitovMichellex on

    This affected live bands, too. The few that are running still here are non paying venue who just want free live entertainment. The band still enjoys these venues but damn it would be lovely to get fuel money and parking at least. Every now and then we hit a venue that gives back a little.

  22. Prestigious_Dog_1942 on

    I’m 22. The two clubs in my town suck. They have sticky floors, smell like feet and play the same collection of shitty chart hits at volumes so high you can’t actually talk to eachother. Not even mentioning the fact they charge £10 upwards per drink

    People my age are spending their times at cool bars that have guest DJ’s instead

    There’s this place near me called [Herd](https://www.360upgrade.co.uk/sites/default/files/Herd.jpg) that’s a burger joint by day, and then Bar at night, the DJ’s they get in are usually around our age and in tune with all the up and coming stuff.

    It’s *way* better for socialising and the music is actually great.

    While the era of the club is ending, they’ve been replaced by something much better imo

  23. I enjoy clubbing but the idea that I could afford to go once or twice a week is a pure fantasy. You’re easily spending £50-£100 on a decent night out these days if you’re a drinker.

    I think that within a decade the big generic pop clubs full of people throwing up on a Saturday night will be dying or dead as a concept outside of the biggest towns and cities. This doesn’t mean that nightlife in general has to die. There’s still good nights and events being put on in more interesting venues, they’re just harder to find.

  24. I used to love clubs but i’ll be damned if the way I go is by getting mugged and shanked by some roadman on the 3am walk home

  25. I’m a millennial with a decent job and I’m around the age where you stop going out clubbing, and even I am finding it too expensive. So I don’t know how the younger ones who would normally go out every week and have almost no disposable income are meant to afford it.

    Just in the past 5 years the price of getting a taxi to/from the city centre has doubled and drinks have gone up 50%. There’s less variety of clubs too, and it may just be me getting old but the music being played is a lot worse than what the clubs were playing a decade ago.

    These days I’m more likely to go to a local gig featuring a tribute artist to a band from the 90s or 00s, or a one off themed night rather than a regular nightclub. It feels more unique each time and is generally more fun. One or two drinks and home before midnight rather than eight drinks and an expensive taxi.

  26. This isn’t a crisis.

    This is a shift in spending and socialising habits.

    Not everything in society needs to be kept alive at the same numbers it once was. Nightclubs are closing because younger generations are socialising in different ways. That’s it.

  27. Potential-Top-80 on

    Hopefully more end up closing. Night clubs bring nothing good. Just drunken turds pissing on walls. A waste of money.

  28. Who wants to spend 200 or more to stand in a club with shit music & idiots everywhere, clubbing is nothing but trouble and not worth the expense.