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With recent findings warning the UK is losing one club every two days, the UK is on track to have no nightclubs left in 2030. But what has caused this decline?
Now, I do not care for big-name, commercial clubs. I remember being 18 and convincing myself I was having fun. In reality, you are in a cramped, sweaty room - God’s Plan by Drake is playing, and every five seconds, a group of six friends are trying to squeeze past. You hear all too frequent stories of bouncers on a power trip, kicking out a 19-year-old out for no reason other than a bruised ego, and every other week, another friend-of-a-friend was spiked.
Enjoying a night out has become a rarity, but one driving factor that brings so many students to Leeds is its night scene. The underground clubbing community thrives on grassroots venues, providing a space for local and emerging artists and DJs to shape new genres - a place where the music matters more than finding someone to kiss. Yet, with the closure of Sheaf Street in 2023, the Wire in 2024 and the Old Red Bus Station this January, Leeds has lost some of its best, most loved small venues. These clubs, like so many across the UK, are being devastated by the cost of living crisis, facing unattainable utility bills, rising rent and an ongoing lack of support because our local councils and government simply do not care enough.
What makes this decline even more profound is how the UK once prided itself for its music scene. When my parents were my age, Britain was at the forefront of electronic music innovation, creating entire genres from warehouses and clubs. Illegal raves exploded across the country in the 1980s following the arrival of house music from Chicago, shaping an entire generation. The movement became so massive that the government introduced punitive legislation just to crackdown on raving.
While the UK government continues to ignore this issue, Berlin’s nightlife on the other hand is protected under UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List, with the German government classifying nightclubs as cultural institutions, placing them under the same legal status as museums. This legal status ensures they receive government funding. Germany’s government has recognised how integral Berlin’s clubbing scene is for its economy and culture, with the Berlin Club Commission finding that Berlin’s night scene generates an estimated 1.5 billion Euros annually. Despite a 2022 joint report by the Night Time Industries Association and the Association for Electronic Music finding that the UK’s nightlife culture economy accounts for £36.4 billion a year, UK councils and landlords in the meantime seem more interested in developing student accommodation and chain restaurants.
The lack of protection for UK nightlife also risks music innovation. The underground clubs scene has historically been at the centre for new genres, with jungle, garage, grime all emerging from small, independent spaces and pioneered by Black and working class communities. These venues allow artists to experiment without the commercial pressures of mainstream clubs. Without them, the future of the UK’s music culture is seriously threatened.
Where do we go from here?
With the ongoing closures, underground nightlife is being forced even further underground. DIY raves and house parties are making a resurgence as people seek out alternative spaces for music. But this comes with increased risks of police crackdowns, unsafe environments and a loss of the community spirit that grassroots clubs foster. If the UK does not act soon, we will wake up to a nation that merely favours commercial venues while sidelining grassroots movements that have historically been led by marginalised voices. If this issue continues, we risk losing not just a part of music history, but also vital spaces of identity and belonging.
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Words by Freya Owen, she/her
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