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National Geographic
5 days ago
- Lifestyle
- National Geographic
The UK's nightlife has lost its mojo—can it be saved?
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Nights out have been a staple of British life since the early 20th century, when the country's first nightclubs opened. But in recent years, the country has seen a surge in venue closures, with a study by the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) suggesting that there could be no nightclubs by 2030. With a clutch of big openings and a new government taskforce, there are reasons to remain hopeful — but are we witnessing the end of nightlife as we know it? What's the latest? One nightclub is closing around every two days in Britain, according to NTIA data. Since 2020, more than a third of UK nightclubs have shut, totalling around 400 losses. In London, there are now more 24-hour gyms than nightclubs with late-night licences. The main reason is unsurprising: in the current economy, many nightlife venues simply can't afford to keep their doors open. Superclubs, like north London's 15,000-capacity Drumsheds, have been able to survive, partly thanks to being owned and funded by large corporations. But smaller venues are struggling — and this could spell disaster for up-and-coming DJs and bands, left without spaces to hone their craft. Meanwhile, strict licensing laws, which might force venues to close outdoor areas or have reduced hours, are making it increasingly hard for them to operate in a profitable way. Surges in new housing developments near nightlife spaces have only added to this, resulting in rising noise complaints. And on top of all that, attitudes are shifting away from going out, catalysed by the pandemic and rising cost of living. Why are people going out less? With tickets to club nights costing up to £50 and pints averaging over £5, many can't afford to go out any more. On top of this, Gen Z is less interested in enjoying a hedonistic lifestyle. According to 2021 NHS statistics, 38% of 16- to 24-year-olds in the UK don't drink alcohol. Is anything bucking the trend? There may be fewer clubs, but bars are doing well, growing by 5.4% over the past 12 months in Britain, according to NTIA figures. There's also evidence that young people are saving their money for a few nights a year, getting more bang for their buck — whether that's at a day festival, stadium concert or superclub where they can see multiple headliners in one go. From May to September, the UK capital will host at least 35 day festivals, with events like Lido, Polygon Live and SXSW London all new for 2025. 'Day festivals and multipurpose venues are thriving as they tap into that demand for something different — something more social, cultural and immersive,' says Michael Kill, chief executive of the NTIA. Venues are also innovating, bringing clubbing to a new wave of people, with the likes of DJ Annie Mac's Before Midnight events and sober and wellness-focused nights such as south London's Sauna Social Club, which combines saunas with electronic music. Can UK nightlife bounce back? Like Berlin's Berghain club, which was granted the same lower tax status as the city's concert venues in 2016, nightlife could be granted special protections. Local authorities in Britain are certainly taking note — Greater Manchester, London and Bristol have all appointed Night Time Economy Advisors, allowing nightlife professionals to collaborate with councils. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has also just been granted game-changing new powers to overturn licensing decisions, such as early closing hours or restricted outdoor spaces, while a new London Nightlife Taskforce will bring directors of clubs like Fabric together to tackle the issues. In 2025, the capital has seen new arrivals despite recent trends, including Gallery, a 400-capacity venue in Kensington. 'It's sink or swim,' says DJ and promoter Jon Nelmes, who runs Manchester club night Sassafrass. He adds that his local scene is still thriving, partly thanks to new spaces that offer something unique, and points to newcomers like Amber's, which sells £5 tickets and has a no-phones rule. 'Clubbing isn't becoming obsolete — it's evolving,' says Kill. 'UK club culture has always been dynamic. It's survived legal crackdowns, economic downturns and shifting musical landscapes. What we're seeing now is more about transformation than decline.' Despite all the obstacles, it seems that British nightlife isn't going anywhere just yet. Published in the July/August 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
The Guardian
13-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Turn empty London office blocks into ‘late-night party zones', report suggests
Could the future of Canary Wharf lie in thumping beats and dancefloor raves? Could the City of London become a global hub of nocturnal revelry? With financial districts struggling to bounce back to full capacity post-Covid, and the nightlife industry facing an existential crisis, there are suggestions clubs could move into deserted office blocks at evenings and weekends. In its annual eccentric report on the future of leisure, the creative studio Bompas and Parr says it envisions 'a future where financial districts in London and the world over are transformed into world-class late-night party zones'. 'By day, the city bustles with suits and stocks. By night, it's reborn as a pulsating rave arena,' the report says. 'With few residents to file noise complaints, organisers capitalise on the empty, echoing canyons of glass and steel. 'Empty office lobbies become sought-after DJ booths, rooftops host industry defining light shows, and any space that isn't locked morphs into a dancefloor to create a sprawling web of passionate chaos as capitalism and counterculture merge.' It may sound far-fetched, but it could become reality as the corporate and hospitality industries respond to changing behaviour in a post-Covid world. Michael Kill, the chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), said the prospect of few noise complaints and the need to boost footfall in areas that workers have deserted in the shift to work from home made it an appealing prospect. 'There are conversations going on about things like the City of London, where the financial district is, as there is a very limited residential core so without a doubt, given some of the noise complaints and restrictions, that actually makes sense and works for nightlife,' Kill said. About 500,000 people work in the City of London but only 8,500 people live there, reducing the likelihood of noise complaints from residential properties, something that has proven a hindrance for venues in recent years. Kill said some financial districts were struggling with the impact of having only 'three core days with full workforce', as many people were choosing to work from home on Mondays and Fridays. 'What we've always had with the financial districts is, after a Friday night, they close down and everyone disappears,' he said. 'But now we're seeing people only work from the office for about three days a week. Friday has become an extension of the weekend. So landlords are obviously looking for new opportunities, and that is a very constructive conversation we're having.' He said there were conversations about how zoning rules could be adjusted to give 'preferential planning and licensing opportunities' to nightlife and hospitality businesses in financial areas. Sign up to Headlines UK Get the day's headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion The NTIA has warned the UK nightlife sector faces extinction by 2029 if venue closures persist. The number of nightclubs has more than halved between 2013 and 2024. The rate of decline was exacerbated by the pandemic, when clubs were shut for months on end and more than a third of the country's venues closed for good. The industry was continuously adapting to entice people back to the dancefloor and ensure the sector's survival, Kill said, with everything from 'light clubbing to full-fat clubbing to hybrid spaces and the evolution of venues with multifaceted options like conference spacing'. Bompas and Parr predicted that capitalising on the over-50s market would be key, and that the 'generation that pioneered sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll' would be seeking new ways to spend their spare time. Kill said: 'What we've seen is the industry, in many respects, has been propped up by an older generation that are plugged into revisiting those club culture memories, rave memories, events memories. The reality is, all they want to do is go out and revisit their youth. 'So it's absolutely something that is happening and is a growing market that is without a doubt now being noticed by the sector as a whole as a big opportunity.'
The Guardian
13-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Turn empty London office blocks into ‘late-night party zones', report suggests
Could the future of Canary Wharf lie in thumping beats and dancefloor raves? Could the City of London become a global hub of nocturnal revelry? With financial districts struggling to bounce back to full capacity post-Covid, and the nightlife industry facing an existential crisis, there are suggestions clubs could move into deserted office blocks at evenings and weekends. In its annual eccentric report on the future of leisure, the creative studio Bompas and Parr says it envisions 'a future where financial districts in London and the world over are transformed into world-class late-night party zones'. 'By day, the city bustles with suits and stocks. By night, it's reborn as a pulsating rave arena,' the report says. 'With few residents to file noise complaints, organisers capitalise on the empty, echoing canyons of glass and steel. 'Empty office lobbies become sought-after DJ booths, rooftops host industry defining light shows, and any space that isn't locked morphs into a dancefloor to create a sprawling web of passionate chaos as capitalism and counterculture merge.' It may sound far-fetched, but it could become reality as the corporate and hospitality industries respond to changing behaviour in a post-Covid world. Michael Kill, the chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), said the prospect of few noise complaints and the need to boost footfall in areas that workers have deserted in the shift to work from home made it an appealing prospect. 'There are conversations going on about things like the City of London, where the financial district is, as there is a very limited residential core so without a doubt, given some of the noise complaints and restrictions, that actually makes sense and works for nightlife,' Kill said. About 500,000 people work in the City of London but only 8,500 people live there, reducing the likelihood of noise complaints from residential properties, something that has proven a hindrance for venues in recent years. Kill said some financial districts were struggling with the impact of having only 'three core days with full workforce', as many people were choosing to work from home on Mondays and Fridays. 'What we've always had with the financial districts is, after a Friday night, they close down and everyone disappears,' he said. 'But now we're seeing people only work from the office for about three days a week. Friday has become an extension of the weekend. So landlords are obviously looking for new opportunities, and that is a very constructive conversation we're having.' He said there were conversations about how zoning rules could be adjusted to give 'preferential planning and licensing opportunities' to nightlife and hospitality businesses in financial areas. Sign up to Headlines UK Get the day's headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion The NTIA has warned the UK nightlife sector faces extinction by 2029 if venue closures persist. The number of nightclubs has more than halved between 2013 and 2024. The rate of decline was exacerbated by the pandemic, when clubs were shut for months on end and more than a third of the country's venues closed for good. The industry was continuously adapting to entice people back to the dancefloor and ensure the sector's survival, Kill said, with everything from 'light clubbing to full-fat clubbing to hybrid spaces and the evolution of venues with multifaceted options like conference spacing'. Bompas and Parr predicted that capitalising on the over-50s market would be key, and that the 'generation that pioneered sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll' would be seeking new ways to spend their spare time. Kill said: 'What we've seen is the industry, in many respects, has been propped up by an older generation that are plugged into revisiting those club culture memories, rave memories, events memories. The reality is, all they want to do is go out and revisit their youth. 'So it's absolutely something that is happening and is a growing market that is without a doubt now being noticed by the sector as a whole as a big opportunity.'
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
VIAVI Introduces Colocation Capability at VALOR Lab-as-a-Service Testing Facility
Lab will support semi-permanent setups, offering more flexibility and capacity for customers requiring expanded test services CHANDLER, Ariz., July 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- VIAVI Solutions Inc. (VIAVI) (NASDAQ: VIAV) today announced that it has added colocation capability to its VIAVI Automated Lab-as-a-Service for Open RAN (VALOR™) facility to address the increased demand for comprehensive testing from Open RAN customers. Based in Chandler, Arizona, VALOR is funded by the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund (PWSCIF). As an alternative to its on-demand customer labs, VALOR's colocation model offers more flexibility and capacity. Customers can access the lab for a longer period and conduct comprehensive testing throughout the product lifecycle with a semi-permanent setup. Network data in the lab is segregated using VLANs to ensure secure, isolated environments for each customer's testing requirements, ensuring optimal performance and data integrity across various testing scenarios. "We're excited to introduce this new colocation offering at VALOR. With two available engagement models, VALOR can now service both vendors who are looking for specific tests during the development and pre-certification process, as well as those seeking longer-term, comprehensive end-to-end and scalable testing," said Erik Probstfield, Senior Director, VALOR, VIAVI. "This colocation framework builds upon the NTIA PWSCIF model. Focused on wireless infrastructure, PWSCIF acts as a force multiplier where federal spending is a catalyst drawing additional investment from private industry. Ultimately, this accelerates the development of open, secure wireless ecosystems with industry-wide investment value significantly greater than the base federal funding. We look forward to providing this expanded service offering to our customers in alignment with the mission and objectives of the NTIA and PWSCIF." The VALOR Lab offers a highly automated, open and impartial Lab-as-a-Service / Test-as-a-Service suite for Open RAN interoperability, performance and security. In addition to the colocation lab and two on-demand labs, customers can also access a state-of-the-art RF chamber for Massive MIMO and beamforming over-the-air (OTA) validation, including system-level Massive MIMO performance testing for up to 16 parallel spatial layers. Leveraging VIAVI's industry-leading NITRO Wireless Open RAN Test Suite, the VAMOS unified framework for hybrid physical and cloud-based testing, reference O-RUs, O-DUs and O-CUs, as well as a knowledgeable support team, the VALOR Lab enables emerging Open RAN technology vendors to test their products without significant upfront investment. Risks associated with building in-house Open RAN testing capabilities are offloaded to VIAVI, resulting in quicker time to market and more flexible deployment. About VIAVIVIAVI (NASDAQ: VIAV) is a global provider of network test, monitoring and assurance solutions for telecommunications, cloud, enterprises, first responders, military, aerospace and railway. VIAVI is also a leader in light management technologies for 3D sensing, anti-counterfeiting, consumer electronics, industrial, automotive, government and aerospace applications. Learn more about VIAVI at Follow us on VIAVI Perspectives, LinkedIn and YouTube. Media Inquiries:Grand BridgesEmma Jenkinsemma@ 415 800 4529 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE VIAVI Solutions Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Winncom Technologies Launches BEAD Grant Writing Reimbursement Program to Help Navigate Major Federal Policy Shift
SOLON, Ohio, June 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 6, 2025, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce, announced sweeping revisions to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The changes—outlined in a new Policy Notice—eliminate the previous fiber-only preference in favor of a technology-neutral framework. For the first time, providers using Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), satellite, and hybrid models will be evaluated on equal footing with fiber networks. While these changes reduce regulatory burdens and open the door to innovation, they also require that all previously submitted BEAD proposals be revised and resubmitted—within just 90 days. For many providers, that is a logistical and financial challenge. To meet this moment, Winncom Technologies is expanding its BEAD Grant Writing Assistance Program with a new reimbursement model. Customers who leverage Winncom's in-house team for grant writing support will now receive a 75% credit toward product purchases across its entire vendor portfolio, effectively reducing the upfront risk of applying. "BEAD applicants are under pressure to rework plans quickly—and in many cases, completely rethink their deployment strategy," said VP of Sales & Business Development at Winncom Technologies. "We built our reimbursement model so that service providers can pivot confidently, without the high financial burden that usually comes with hiring a grant writer." Winncom's program, originally launched in early 2024, has already guided dozens of ISPs, rural cooperatives, and municipal utilities through the application process. With the new NTIA rules prioritizing performance and cost-efficiency over fiber exclusivity, Winncom's multi-technology expertise—spanning FWA, and fiber—positions it as a strategic partner in this next phase of BEAD funding. "This isn't just about writing a grant—it's about helping our customers win," adds Aaron Savy. "Whether you're re-submitting a fiber build or now considering Fixed Wireless Access (3.5GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz, 60GHz) for the first time, our team is here to help you put together a competitive, compliant application before the clock runs out." For more information on Winncom's BEAD Grant Writing Assistance Program, including reimbursement eligibility and service scope, visit or contact bead@ About Winncom Technologies: Winncom Technologies, a global value-added distributor of wireless and wired broadband equipment offers the most advanced forms of communication by providing customers with cutting-edge, industry-leading products and solutions. With a far-reaching international scope, Winncom remains at the forefront of the global technology marketplace, demonstrating a reputation for quality products, a full range of network infrastructure and access products, and a customer-centric business model. We offer one of the industry's most notable product portfolios along with scalable solutions, world-class customer service, engineering services, network design, and outstanding more information, visit: Valuable Winncom Technologies Resources: Winncom Technologies' Grant Writing Services Brochure Grant Writing Assistance Program Winncom Technologies' BEAD Program Dept of Commerce BEAD Restructuring Policy Official Notice Schedule an Application Review Meeting View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Winncom Technologies, Corp Sign in to access your portfolio
