A bit of a different post today, I’ve just finished work and felt live diving into some socio-economics, a crazy thought for this time of night I know. But I had been reminiscing on some of the good old days out with friends, till God knows when and, well…, doing God knows what. I will be returning to the UK some next year for an extended period of time, but I’m worried that the good, fun nights out I’ve been craving may not exist anymore. It seems as though nightlife is on the decline in many parts of the world and as a hospitality worker that is never good news.
What is Nightlife
In a nutshell nightlife refers to any entertainment that takes place late at night and continues into the early hours of the morning. Essentially encompassing pubs, bars, clubs, theatre, concerts, comedy and dinning and any other after dark activity you may enjoy. But really isn’t it more than just that? It’s an escape from the confinements of the day, a chance to catch up with friends who you don’t work with, it’s a fun way to relax and occupy your mind. All while socialisng and getting out the house.
Beyond the fun side of things, it is also a chance for secondary employment, a chance for college students to earn some extra money after studies. If the working day is 9-5 then what is the 6-8? A whole 12 hours of our time to fill?
Where did the Night Scene Go?
Covid. Thats the plain and simple answer. I used to manage a bar in Bristol. Pre-Covid19 the bar was always 4 deep (and it was a big bar) and that happened every Friday, Saturday night regardless of the time of year. After Covid19 things got a little bit quiet. Did the 4 months off work make us realise how easy just staying at home is? Or did life just get more expensive after all our money was spunked on PPE that didn’t work. I won’t go into all that right now (just like I won’t go into the whole Eat Out to Help Out thing, but if you know you know…). The answer is both. Life got more expensive and people became more recluse.
Why has the Decline Continued
With the cost of living continuing to rise and a new generation of 18-year-old who don’t want to drink, nightlife and hospitality has hit a brick wall. This is not a get rich quick industry, even when times were good, competition and other socio-economic factors were a force to be reckoned with but now breaking even seems impossible. Yet consumers always say their biggest issue with going out is the cost.
What’s worse is that it is not the fault of nightlife or hospitality. The current average price for a pint in the Midlands in the UK is £4.68. The minimum wage for a 18–20-year-old is £9.14. Back when I was 18 and working in the Midlands my wage was £5.30 and a pint cost £3.36. Now a little bit of maths tells us that
- In 2025 you can buy 1.95 pints per hour worked (before taxes of course!)
- Whereas in 2015 you could only buy 1.58 pints per hour worked, also pre tax.
This means pint prices are completely in line with inflation and that it is other factors of life that are expensive. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying a night out should be free, but if you didn’t want to pay entry you went somewhere else and if you couldn’t afford a taxi, you walked or took the bus.
Is Going Out Safe?
It’s one thing for me to say “can’t afford a taxi? just walk” but it’s not really fair. Increasing dangers on our streets make that difficult and many people, especially young women don’t want to walk the streets alone or in small groups. However, ironically enough I whole heartedly believe that investing heavily in our nightlife will make our streets safer and increase revenue in a number of industries.
The more people that are about will naturally decrease crime rates. It is much harder to commit a crime and get away with it when the chances of witnesses increase. I fully believe people are good and the majority will not cause harm or suffering to others, the few that do wouldn’t do it in busy areas. If nightlife was still pumping like it used to be you would have more venues open, more taxis on the roads, more security on doors, more people going to and from work. Having supermarkets open 24hrs again would drastically decrease crime rates and you can’t tell me otherwise, I just know it would.
But Consuming Alcohol is Unhealthy
Yeah, it is but so are many many other things that we all do in this modern world. This is another key argument that tossed about which has led to a decline in drinking culture which directly effects nightlife. It is completely undeniable that drinking is bad for you, it’s true. But realistically so is living in a city and inhaling car fumes all day. No?
Having a drink with friends may have a small impact on your physical health, but it does absolute wonders for your mental health. You can socialise, get out of the house, listen to some music, break your routine and just enjoy life for a few brief hours a week. What’s more is you don’t even need to drink anymore with non-alcohol options becoming more widespread.
We are losing the art of staying in touch physically, and that is something that every human being needs. Nightlife brings us together in a way that not much else can.
Can Nightlife be Saved?
I believe anything can be saved. When it comes to nightlife, we first need to understand what we stand to lose if this industry did fade into the night. All the jobs, the community the early hours of the morning when time feels infinite and all that matters is then and there. All we can do is support the venues that are still able to open and try to keep planning events that will cause people to flock to their local or all crowed onto a bus for a live show. It seems as though we are at the point that government intervention seems necessary. I don’t think I’d like to live in a world of the 9-5 grind with nothing to look forward to excepting late night telervision.
I’m going to end this here because I’m starting to ramble and I’m also very tired and this has made me a bit sad. Thank you for letting me vent today. I’m going to have a nice glass of wine and remind myself that an almost 28-year-olds shouldn’t be craving a night in the club like I am. If you feel somewhat similar or have any thoughts on this matter, please feel free to leave a comment and I’ll see you next time.
