UK nightclubs closing at 'alarming rate,' report says

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  • More than half the UK's clubs have shut in the past ten years.
  • UK nightclubs closing at 'alarming rate,' report says image
  • More than half of the UK's nightclubs have shut in the past ten years, according to The Association Of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR). The ALMR's stats, which show that the number of nightclubs has dwindled from 3,144 in 2005 to 1,733 in 2015, reflects the troubled state of nightlife in the UK. In recent years venues like The Arches in Glasgow and London spots Cable, Madame JoJo's and Plastic People have closed for various reasons. The ALMR told the BBC the closures damage the UK "culturally, socially and economically." ALMR chief executive Kate Nicholls said people who move to "cool areas" and then complain about clubs were partly to blame. "People want to have their cake and eat it," she said. "If you want vibe and to live in a cool area, then you need the other, edgier side of it." Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) chairman Alan Miller added: "I think the biggest problem and challenge to all of the nighttime industries are the authorities' attitudes towards them—how they're increasingly regulated and being blamed for crime and antisocial behaviour." The council of Hackney, an area in East London that's home to venues like Dance Tunnel, Dalston Superstore and The Nest, has proposed licensing changes that take a tough stance on clubs. For further reading on the state of the UK's nightlife, read Ray Philp's in-depth feature for RA. Photo credit: John Devli
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