Half of UK Nightclubs Closed in Last Decade, According to New Report

Are you a citizen of the UK who enjoys going to nightclubs? Turns out you're part of a minority that continues to get smaller. According to a new study from the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, nearly half of venues qualifying as nightclubs in the UK have closed in the last decade. The numbers given by the BBC Newsbeat suggest that there were 3,144 such venues open for business during 2005, now down to 1,733 in 2015.

Why? There's no clear answer, but Ministry of Sound CEO Lohan Presencer threw out plenty of potential candidates when asked for comment. Later opening hours for pubs, a nationwide smoking ban, the rising rates of student tuition and the lingering effects of the recession, the rise of music festivals with planning and licensing, and the increased number of noise complaints were all among the factors he listed. It seems that, in his estimation, the world is working against the nightclub culture as a whole.

One thing he didn't cite as a cause for the industry's slowdown: a lack of interest in the nightlife.

"I don't think the number of people going out at the weekend is any different to where it was 20 years ago, but I do think they are going to different places," Presencer said.

Some have suggested that large EDM festivals, which have continued to grow in popularity, are sapping the DJs away from clubs and to the big stage. Those on the lower end of the pay scale have warned this will take away opportunities for up-and-coming DJs to hone the craft. Amir from Rudimental, who spoke to the BBC regarding that claim, suggests that festivals will at some point lose their luster, and DJs will indeed return to the club.

"It kind of goes in cycles," he said. "I mean there was a hell of a lot of clubs out there and a lot of DJs—and now there are DJs on the main stage at festivals...they're essentially still playing house music so it just shifts in cycles and it will go back into the club."

But will the clubs be there for DJs to return to?

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Rudimental