Nightlife’s Not Dead, it’s Different
Enough has been said about how the UK’s nightlife industry is on its knees. The number of nightclubs — 835 as of November2024 — has almost halved from a decade ago. Close to a third of clubs have been forced to close since March 2020. Rent rises, aggressive developers and falling attendance have piled the pressure on, forcing clubs to think outside the box and innovate. Here’s how three clubs are making it work.
FOLD
Fold’s tighter door policy and no-phones-on-the-dance floor rule has seen it hailed as London’s answer to Berghain. The main sell: when all other venues close around 3am, Fold keeps welcoming revellers in. It’s one of London’s few nightclubs with a 24-hour licence. For some parties, it’s been known to wheel out an espresso machine. Safety is also important — Fold hasa welfare team at all events and lockers to rent. It’s easier to get lost in the music when you know you and your stuff are safe.
SPANNERS
Located in a Loughborough Junction railway arch, Spanners provides space to host parties, meaning it does away with much of the work of organising and marketing club events, not to mention costly booking fees forParty throwers are finding ways to reduce overheads and keep the revelry going. A 24-hour licence allows clubs to keep the doors open throughout the night. DJs. This model allows it to function on a skeleton team of just two people. The venue has a 3am licence and a 70-person capacity. All drinks must be purchased from the venue’s bar, providing an additional source of revenue.The sliding scale of hire rates reflects the variety of the events that Spanners hosts — from art exhibitions to film screenings, although DJ sets and live music make up the majority of bookings. Most weeks, Spanners’ calendar is stacked with parties from Wednesday through Saturday, with tickets often available to the public online.
THE CAUSE
The Cause doesn't have a permanent home. But last year, it finished renovating a 1,000-plus-capacity club in London’s Docklands, housed in an old Guinness factory.It has been hosting warmup parties at the site sinceclosing its Tottenham locationin 2021. This second iteration takes advantage of ‘mean whilespaces’ – vacant buildingsawaiting development. The Cause collaborates with established parties for collectives and promoters like Adonis,Percolate and Wigflex to guarantee ticket sales, as well as curating a mix of artists for its own parties. FoundersStuart Glen and Eugene Wild have gone on to open more nighttime spots: All My Friends in Hackney Wick, The Greyhound pub in Peckham and hifi listening bar The Marquee Moon in Dalston.
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