Night clubs to be a thing of the past?

[sir albion]

Go to The Isle of Wight ,when i started drinking down there in 87 Towns like Shanklin and Sandown both had 3 clubs each .Now there are none ,come to think of it i don't think there are any clubs now.It all seems to be late bars with a DJ in the towns of Ryde ,Newport and Cowes .Sandown and Shanklin you may get the odd pub open past 11 on the weekend. Even Ventnor had a Club in the 80's.

Even up and coming Staines has no clubs anymore and Basingstoke might have one or two at most now.
It really is a case of trendy cocktail bars in which means queuing for ages grrrrr.
The demand is certainly still there and like I said many councils don't want night clubs anymore and will reject all applications.Times have changed and the 90's were the best times by a country mile and the days when you had to wear trousers and shoes etc.
Many reasons for clubs closing I know and stringent health and safety is another one that digs a knife in.

 

[supaseagull]

Who else remembers trying to find the one cold air vent in the escape basement Dancefloor

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Is Berlin's legendary clubbing scene similarly faded today?

It's changed a bit over the past 10 years and isn't quite as strong as the "minimal" years but then that was a very specific high water moment. But, the scene still thrives and it's still very popular.

A handful of famous clubs have gone or have moved but new ones emerge every summer. Of the famous places Club Der Visionare, Berghain, Watergate, Golden Gate, Tresor are all still open and IMHO all still valid. Bar 25 closed but spawned 2 venues called Chalet and Kater Blau when the owners split, Weekend is now called House of Weekend and more upmarket. But there are loads of small other places and a wonderful new little open air venue called Else opened this year which has a great line up most weekends. The other thing about Berlin is the age range is much broader so the clubs don't necessary need a load of new kids coming through.

I am noticing a trend of smaller Mitte venues closing and/or being pushed out to the next borough though.

 

[daveinprague]

Plenty of nightclubs here. Sadly, not reggae. No history of it, although they love reggae festivals. A lot of cheesy places that deal with tourists, and quite a bit of DnB. and places for Russians, Ukrainians etc for their slice of home, and who listen to crap.. Waiting to see how the no smoking laws affect in January, as my memory of nightclubs was that a lot of people were smoking in them.

 

[Colossal Squid]

It's changed a bit over the past 10 years and isn't quite as strong as the "minimal" years but then that was a very specific high water moment. But, the scene still thrives and it's still very popular.

A handful of famous clubs have gone or have moved but new ones emerge every summer. Of the famous places Club Der Visionare, Berghain, Watergate, Golden Gate, Tresor are all still open and IMHO all still valid. Bar 25 closed but spawned 2 venues called Chalet and Kater Blau when the owners split, Weekend is now called House of Weekend and more upmarket. But there are loads of small other places and a wonderful new little open air venue called Else opened this year which has a great line up most weekends. The other thing about Berlin is the age range is much broader so the clubs don't necessary need a load of new kids coming through.

I am noticing a trend of smaller Mitte venues closing and/or being pushed out to the next borough though.

Intriguing. Perhaps it is a very British problem then.

As a country we probably had too many clubs to sustain at its peak. But you'd think the hotspots of London, Brighton, Bristol and Manchester might have been able to keep the flag flying.

Instead we here in Brighton are down to the bare bones whilst London is a real faded glory.

It is kind of sad, but at the same time I can't pretend I'm looking to go out raving every weekend anymore so perhaps the fact that this decline coincides with my own ageing actually makes it easier to digest.

There's enough of a scene still going that if I do fancy a big night out I can plan it and enjoy it. But the days of being spoiled for choice and picking from any number of excellent options on an impromptu evening's getting on it appear to be sadly long gone

 

[Captain Sensible]

The Gloucester used to do a brilliant Indie Brit Pop night on Tuesday's circa 1995-1999

 

[origigull]

Pink Coconut, Suite, Busbys, Steamers, Bentleys, Coasters, Brighton Belle, Bonsoir, Nighfever etc etc.
. I
.

Clubs were part of youth culture (well mine anyway) 70s started with The Rev, Sherrys, Top Rank Suite etc,etc then the 80s club scene (Brighton Belle, Bonsoir, Bentleys). I must have been in most clubs in Brighton at one time. it seemed like a progression upwards as I got older. It was a big part of my life. Its a pity that a lot seem to be fading away now. As another poster said in those days pubs shut earlier.I can even remember my first record I danced to at the Top Rank 1973.

 

[looney]

Interesting topic. I dont want to sound mean here as I am if anything pro-club but it needs to be said.

clubs have reputaions for drinking to much, fighting, drug dealing and sexual disease hotspots.. Therefor they are Anthema for local councils near residential property which given the scale of building in the south is almost everywhere. Coupled with this a lazy and beligerent police forces that like to throw there weight around you have an attack on supply.

Demand is represented by various groups. the post pub alcoholics have gone as they can stay in the pub, or at home given the cost. As dance music killed of real bands in the 90's so that generation is exposed to the next Genre, things like concerts and Social media organised parties. Unless they are specialist clubs most have never represented value beyond student nights and face competition from other forms of entertainment that do.


I dont see them being wiped out, just reduced to a small hub like specialist beer festivals.

 

[OzMike]

Hungry Years anyone, just for the aged rockers amongst us?

That takes me back, remember the days when they had to give you a plate of crap food in order to stay open late.
I remember the sausage, mash and bullet hard peas on a paper plate with plastic cutlery at the Hungry Years, we chose to stay hungry and binned it.

 

[Randsta]

There is still clubbing it's just not as much choice as before and this is down to licensing laws and late night bars ......sad but there are a few good clubs still about.