Why young people are shunning the club scene
By Eva McCartney
Photo: Nick Fewings; Source: Unsplash
Closures of around 400 nightclubs are ringing alarm bells for partygoers as the opportunity to socialise is plummeting.
Przym and Atik owner Rekom has blamed the closure of 117 clubs on the lack of mid-week student revellers. According to the BBC, the closure has disrupted employment within the nightlife scene, with 500 left unemployed. The cost-of-living crisis has hit students hard and they are now drinking less and choosing different nighttime entertainment options.
The Night Time Industries Association [NTIA] has published data suggesting almost 400-night clubs have shut down permanently between March 2020 and December 2023. This means there have been two closures per week, and the nightlife scene has been impacted massively.
Students have also been going out later and spending less when they are out.
Supermarket Tesco has claimed that low and no alcohol beer purchases have increased by more than 20%. Low and alcohol wine purchases have increased by 15% and alternatives to spirits have increased by 10%.
The safety precautions students are taking are also a massive factor, with articles from Glasgow Live reporting about an 18-year-old girl who was spiked potentially by injection and found collapsed in Nomads Night Club in the south side of the city.
In 2021 Police Scotland's statistics concluded that 152 people were spiked on a night out. This has left students wary of the potential dangers of partying and the issues they may face.
Another loss in the closure of these nightclubs is employment. According to an NUS survey, 65% of students are working more than they did last year, meaning the balance of full-time study and part-time work makes it hard to find the opportunity to socialise and party.
Club owners have struggled with the dying nightlife as they still need to pay staff, bills and rent. It was reported by the BBC that for roughly every £100 pounds brought in £30-£40 was used for wages.
The club owners have also claimed that previously they were raking in £500,000 then going on to lose £400,000 in two years. This is leaving owners struggling to break even with a declining profit margin within English clubs.
A survey of students at City of Glasgow College confirmed that the club scene in Scotland is also in decline.
In the survey, 80% of students said they would rather go to a local pub than a club as it is cheaper and easier to get to and from. Three quarters of students also said that alcoholic drinks are overpriced. They feel that there is not enough alcohol in the drinks served at clubs for the price they pay. Nearly all the students confirmed they would rather go out at the weekend than during the week as most work. This highlights the challenges the nightclub economy is facing.
Holly Borland, a student at the city of Glasgow College said: “The club scene is the worst it's ever been, drinks cost too much and when student deals are on, I'm always working.”
Student Euan Moore said: “I can't justify £8.50 for a double vodka; I'd rather drink a few beers in my room with friends for that price.”
Journalism trainee, Robyn Harraughty, said: “You always feel safer in your local pub than a club in the city and that's just how things are now.”
Even though moderating your alcohol intake is good for your health it is still creating a headache for business owners.