The lights are coming up on Exeter’s nightclubs

People up-and-down the country have suddenly realised that the clubs and bars they frequented when they were fun and young have shut down, with the Association of Licenced Multiple Retailers reporting a drop of almost 50 per cent in UK nightclubs.

Almost 1500 clubs have turned up the lights for good during last decade

The closing spree hasn’t been too great a problem for the people of Exeter, we didn’t have many venues to close. It has long been the downfall of Exeter, if you don’t fancy Arena, sorry, Unit 1/Timepiece/Mosaic on any given night your options are extremely limited.

Despite only having a limited choice, Exeter’s revellers don’t make the most of the late night entertainment on offer. Certain clubs remain a barren wasteland while another has a three-hour queue. Surely anywhere is better than Summerland Street at 12:30 on a Tuesday.

So far this year we have seen Mama Stone close her Mediterranean themed live music venue, restaurant, and shisha bar. Hit hard by the recession, the bar struggled for money in a city that is not exactly saturated with night-time pursuits. Other than the Freshers’ Week project did anyone actually go?

Arena closed its doors for good earlier this month in anticipation of its reincarnation as Unit 1

What can we do about all of this? How can we make sure that the limited nightlife choice in Exeter doesn’t disappear?

Make the most of what we have. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy, no one in their right mind wants to bump and grind in an empty club. As such many of the less popular venues are avoided, with students opting for a 2 hour queue at the back of Boots instead. The boycott exacerbates the emptiness.

Who wants a club where your only pull is the bouncer?

So far we have been fortunate enough to keep our steadfast repertoire of clubs, but in a climate where the country’s nightclubs are dropping like flies and we flock to only one club, it won’t be long until our own ranks begin to dwindle.