Young people eager for clubbing return with 20% planning 'ASAP'

13-Jul-2021 - Last updated on 13-Jul-2021 at 09:12 GMT

Nightclub return: young people are keen to get back to late night sector venues after Monday 19 July, according to the REKOM Night Index (image: Getty/Hollie Fernando)

Almost all young Brits (94.3%) plan to visit late-night venues once restrictions are completely lifted and nightclubs allowed to reopen, a survey has revealed.

More than a fifth of 18 to 30 year olds (20.7%) are keen to make a return to nightclubs as soon as possible, according to the REKOM Night Index.

More than half of young people surveyed said they would return to a club or other late night venue within a month of 19 July.

What’s more, half of respondents (50.2%) said they would feel comfortable going to a club that sticks to any Government guidance with 18.8% unsure and 15.9% waiting for more guidance.

Nightclubs will be able to open their doors this month after more than a year of enforced shutdown, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed this week (11 July).

The quarterly report is commissioned and published by late night operator REKOM UK formerly the Deltic Group, which runs the Pryzm and Atik brands.

Covid safety

The Government is to advise clubs to ask customers to show their vaccination status with the PM describing it as a "matter of social responsibility".

Initial guidance published on the Government website states: "If sufficient measures are not taken to limit infection, the Government will consider mandating certification in certain venues at a later date."

Almost all (94.1%) of those asked said they would comply with any guidelines and measures in order to ensure nightclubs were not shut down again.

More than one in five surveyed turned 18 during lockdown and are raring to have their first taste of clubbing, according to the survey.

Almost a third of respondents (30.4%) said Covid-19 safety restrictions were among the most important deciding factors on a venue while 39.2% said they would factor in were their friends were going.

More than a third (37.9%) said they would be considering safety measures before choosing a venue and four in 10 (38.8%) said they would book ahead more frequently.

Much needed boost

Respondents were asked how often they would go out once venues reopened with more than half (56.1%) saying they planned to go out as often or more often than they did pre-pandemic.

REKOM UK chief executive Peter Marks said the report showed the public were eager to be responsible when preparing for nights out and would take safety measures seriously.

He added: “There’s no doubt that the reopening of the late-night leisure sector will give a much needed boost to the economy and support the revitalisation of regional towns and cities across the UK.”

“It is clear there is a high demand for nightclubs to reopen again and that young people, many of whom have been hit hard by Covid restrictions whilst at university or entering the job market, are excited to enjoy a night out after all this time.”