Nightclubs are disappearing and it is affecting young people
Under-30s have said they are missing out on the chance to “let loose and mess around” because of a “bleak” shortage of nightlife where they live. Henry Gannon, who grew up in Woking, told the BBC that venues for young people to gather and socialise have “die away”. He added, “Communal areas just seem to have vanished.” Woking once had several late-night venues but now has no traditional dedicated nightclubs left in the town centre. Gannon blamed the cost of living crisis, saying it is “pricing out” people in their 20s from enjoying themselves. “There isn’t really anything to do for younger people who often don’t have much expendable income,” he said. He also noted the alternatives are “Wetherspoons, sitting in the park or getting a prohibitively expensive taxi back from another town or city.” “I feel like I am missing out on a crucial part of being my age, which is being able to let loose, mess around and enjoy life,” he said. “It’s a bit bleak.”
The Night Time Industries Association reported in 2025 that a quarter of UK towns have lost all their nightclubs and that one in six towns have no late‑night venues left. NTIA chief executive Michael Kill said, “These figures are a stark warning of the systematic erosion of Britain’s nightlife infrastructure.” He added, “We are facing a national cultural crisis.” “The damage, as we see it, is increasingly irreversible. Once these venues disappear, they rarely return.”
Adam, a 29‑year‑old originally from the US who lives in Tonbridge, described the nightlife situation there as “pretty minimal”. He said, “There are some nice pubs and small bars, though most things close around midnight.” He noted that he was drawn to Kent because it is “quieter and more relaxed”. However, the lack of nightlife pushes younger people to travel elsewhere for a night out, which hurts the local economy. “It is definitely a missed opportunity,” he added. While he acknowledged that nightclubs are places to meet others, Adam also observed a trend of younger people going out and drinking less, which he said is good for their health.
Finn Ashcroft, a 22‑year‑old from Chichester in West Sussex, said after Covid “people were finding it harder to get out and socialise”. He stressed that many under‑30s are “making do” without clubs and are creating their own events. Although traditional nightclubs have closed in Chichester, Ashcroft pointed out that the city still has spaces suitable for music and dancing. He set up the event companies C‑Side Sounds