For years, Glasgow has been dubbed the party capital of Scotland. The city’s bustling nightlife and late-night culture has put it on the map as the go-to destination for people looking for a good knees-up not just here in Scotland, but across the UK.
For decades, partygoers typically fell out of the city’s clubs at 3am, before queueing at the nearest fast-food restaurant, scoffing a portion of chips and then pacing the streets until they found a taxi to take them home.
But now revellers can rejoice, as Glasgow’s licensing board has agreed to permanently extend late night opening hours of 10 nightclubs in the city until 4am, following a pilot scheme which was launched in 2018.
On the surface, it seems as though the move should be music to the ears of many in the hospitality industry, not least the club owners and late-night takeaway operators who are set to reap the rewards of an extra hour of trading.
But it would be naïve to believe that an extension to opening hours will mean an automatic increase to profits, or even have any substantial impact on the number of people coming through the door for some late-night dancing.
It’s no secret that our night-time economy has been operating in survival mode since it reopened following COVID lockdowns. As I’ve touched on before in this very column, COVID restrictions, followed by rising costs and changes to consumer habits as a result of the cost-of-living crisis has left many fighting to stay open.
In fact, earlier this year SYMBOL nightclub on Sauchiehall Street announced it was closing its doors for good, citing “the rise in running costs as a venue against cost-of-living prices for clubbers” as a huge challenge to contend with.
Not only that, but a recent study by Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) revealed venues across the country are having to curtail their opening hours due to an ongoing staffing crisis in the hospitality sector.
More than 70 per cent of respondents said they were struggling to fill vacancies, which SLTA media spokesperson Paul Waterson claimed has “a domino impact” on opening hours and the economic viability of hospitality businesses.
More concerning though, the survey also found nearly one in ten (nine per cent) are planning to close completely or are considering their options in the near future because running costs are simply too high.
If Glasgow – or any other cities considering a 4am license – are to make this extension to opening hours work, then the Scottish and UK Governments need to provide two things.
Firstly, there needs to be more funding available to hospitality businesses in order for them to cover an extra hour of running costs.
One-off grants of up to £50,000 were available to nightclubs in Scotland following their closure during the pandemic, and while this barely touched the sides for some, the least the Scottish Government can do is provide a dedicated funding pot for late-night venues struggling with rising costs.
Secondly, there needs to be a change in attitudes when it comes to developing careers in the hospitality sector.
We need to see bold campaigns from decision makers at Westminster and Holyrood encouraging people to seek out permanent work within the field, or else venues will simply have no choice but to close – regardless of if they’ve been granted longer opening hours or not.
Scotland’s night-time industries have been dealing with a barrage of economic challenges for some time now, but the potential for significant profit to be made thanks to the licensing extension is huge. However, it can only be fulfilled with the right support.
I’m intrigued as to how Glasgow’s nightclubs will cope with these new changes. It is worth noting that not every club in the city has opted to take up the offer of the 4am extension, and I am interested to see how they will cope compared against those which can open for longer.
I do hope we start to see the benefits reaped sooner rather than later though – any more economic turmoil for the hospitality industry would undoubtedly be the ultimate party pooper.
Plunging Into Business – Diving and the Entrepreneurial Mindset
I’m always looking for new challenges. That’s why I recently decided to get my PADI diving license. What better way to learn more about the ocean than to take the plunge yourself.
As I sat on the side of the boat with my old friend Ali Tabatabaei, CEO of Azure Cloud Solutions, having meticulously planned our dive, prepared our equipment, and assessed the potential risks of what we were about to undertake, it really hit home the striking similarities to entrepreneurship.
While the environments may seem worlds apart, the qualities and skills developed in both endeavours have surprising parallels. You require courage, determination, and a willingness to take risks. You must be prepared to step outside of your comfort zone and face the unknown.
There can’t be many experiences like diving that require such levels of meticulous planning for all eventualities, whilst weighing up the risks to ensure a safe underwater experience. Likewise, as an entrepreneur we must carefully prepare business plans, market research, and strategies to navigate the turbulent waters of the business world. As they say, fail to plan and you are preparing to fail.
Having successfully secured my PADI over the three days, the adaptability required to handle any situation underwater and the trust you need to put into your team will certainly carry on through to the boardroom for me.
If you have never tried diving, go for it! The skills and experience you will gain as a diver will be invaluable in your business endeavours.
It Made Me Laugh
From El Clasico to El Cludgie
As Barcelona lined up for the El Clasico on Saturday, their strips made history with the Rolling Stones’ famous tongue and lips logo emblazoned on the front – the first band to appear on the Catalans’ top.
The partnership, made possible through Barcelona’s sponsorship with Spotify, has certainly garnered column inches, with media coverage across the globe.
Not to be outdone however, Scottish League Two outfit Stenhousemuir announced they’d be taking to the pitch in their next league match against Peterhead sporting an image of a porta-loo on their famous claret tops.
Beaten by the elements, the Stenny game was abandoned, but it’s still a win for their sponsor Loc Hire, after the stunt also received media attention. Great work by their marketing team!
It Made Me Weep
Storm Babet Leaves Costly Mark on Scotland
As flood waters dissipate, communities across Scotland are left reeling on what is being described as one of the costliest weather events in Scottish history.
Alongside the human cost, the aftereffects of Storm Babet will leave local councils and businesses facing months of uncertainty as they look to quickly recover from the devastation.
The First Minister has confirmed that the Scottish Government has activated the Bellwin scheme, a discretionary fund which is designed to help councils that face extra costs as a result of large-scale emergencies.
It won’t be enough, but I hope the fund, which has been previously used to provide help after storms such as Eva and Frank, will go some way in providing support to those affected.
