With clubs closing and the rise of no-alcohol Britain, is this the death of the big night out?
Big nights out on the town are an undeniable part of British culture – but are they about to be consigned to the memories of those of us born before the turn of the century?
Nightlife experts warn we’re losing one club every two days at the moment – and if we stay on this trajectory, we will have none left by 2030.
“The main reason we’re seeing nightclubs close is that midweek nights have completely fallen away and it’s mainly down to the cost of living,” says Sacha Lord, night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester.
That was also the reason given by the owner of the UK’s biggest club chain when it announced a slew of closures earlier this month. Rekom, which owns popular club brands Pryzm and Atik, said it would be closing 17 venues because students hit by the cost of living crisis were cutting back on club nights.
Before the pandemic, Mr Lord explains, students would often be clubbing midweek – but now they’re having house parties instead to save money while they grapple with soaring rents and food prices.
“A nightclub business is not sustainable just on a Saturday night and a semi-good Friday night,” he says.
‘We used to hit the wine heavy – not so much now’
There’s another trend that is proving a challenge for nightlife businesses: Generation Z appears to be our most sober one yet.
The Portman Group’s 2023 annual survey with YouGov suggested 39% of 18 to 24-year-olds don’t drink alcohol at all.
While this is welcome in many ways, the UK’s ingrained booze culture means much of our night-time economy is centred around drinking.
Laura Willoughby, who runs Club Soda, an alcohol-free bar and shop, says older people are also starting to cut back on their drinking because they want a healthier lifestyle.
“We hit the wine quite heavy as women in that generation and we’re now hitting menopause so we’re looking to cut back,” she says.
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Laura Willoughby says people want choice more than anything. Pic: Club Soda
A recent report by hospitality research organisation KAM found 5.2 million fewer adults drank weekly last year than in 2021 – with three-quarters of adults moderating their alcohol intake to some extent.
Drinks expert Dan Whiteside believes the availability of information about the bad effects of alcohol and the rise of health influencers are also driving people to cut back.
“People have been going out less for quite some time,” he says.
“Clubs will probably become a thing of the past.”
What about the good old British pub?
Shifts in behaviour are also hitting pubs and restaurants.
It seems inconceivable that the British pub could suffer a similar fate to the nightclub, but experts say people drinking less and choosing to end their nights earlier are forcing many of these businesses to rethink their strategy.
Nearly 400 pubs in England and Wales closed their doors for good in the first half of 2023 – with many also blaming sky-high energy bills, soaring costs of ingredients and difficulties hiring staff.
Liam Davy, head of bars at steakhouse chain Hawksmoor, says: “I live in Hackney, which is one of the most vibrant boroughs in London in terms of late night economy. The number of late night businesses that have shut down or are really struggling, it really speaks to people doing things a little bit earlier.”
Liam Davy has seen a ‘big spike’ in sales of non-alcoholic drinks. Pic: Hawksmoor
So what will tempt customers back?
For Karl Considine, the “alternative choice” his alcohol-free cocktail bar offers appears to be a huge success.
Love From (@love.fromco) in Manchester is regularly packed with people sipping cocktails and enjoying a fun night out – but the difference is, everyone there is sober.
“I’m really clear on that we’re a night-time venue, not a daytime venue – we don’t do coffee, drinks or hot food,” he says.
Pic: Love From/@oliverlawsonfood
Mr Considine himself has struggled with alcohol addiction in the past, when he would find he could “never just have a quiet night” and would “always want to take it further”.
While Love From is a safe space for those in recovery, he is clear the bar is “absolutely” for everyone – including those who are drinkers but just want something different.
Karl Considine has struggled with alcohol addiction – and says his bar is a safe space for all. Pic: Love From/@oliverlawsonfood
Will alcohol-free bars become more popular?
Love From is not the only alcohol-free night-time venue to have popped up in recent years – among others, there’s also London’s LGBT club night House of Happiness and of course Club Soda.
But Ms Willoughby says she doesn’t think we’ll see a huge increase in alcohol-free venues like hers because “what people actually want is choice”.
Inside Club Soda in London. Pic: Club Soda
Many people are cutting down on alcohol rather than giving it up altogether, she says.
Club Soda runs workshops for retailers to learn about alcohol-free products, and those who ended up expanding their alcohol-free menus have seen their group bookings increase.
“Everybody wants to have a nice time – they don’t want to sit there with a tap water or a very sugary soda which they can only have one of – they want to participate fully,” she says.
No longer an afterthought
Low and no-alcohol products are now the fastest growing part of the industry.
Mr Whiteside says the amount and range of products has “exploded” in recent years, and they can be found in most bars and restaurants.
Meanwhile, Mr Davy says he’s seen a “big spike” in sales of non-alcoholic drinks.
His company has started paying more attention to that section of the menu “when to be honest in the past it might have been a bit more of an afterthought or something aimed at kids”.
Hawksmoor has started offering a wider selection of alcohol-free drinks – including this sour cherry no-groni. Pic: Hawksmoor
Although most pub and restaurant chains have adapted and now have better low and no-alcohol drinks menus, he says smaller businesses have been slower to make changes.
And of course it’s more difficult for nightclubs, which are arguably even more centred than alcohol than other businesses.
Then there’s that pervasive marketing problem – the perception that some of these products are overpriced, meaning people will instead opt for a cheap cola or lemonade when they’re not drinking.
So is there anything else businesses can do?
Mr Lord says he has been advising pubs to offer more event-based nights, such as darts or quizzes, to get people back in the door.
This is an opinion shared by Ms Willoughby, who says Generation Z is much more experience-led in their social lives.
“It’s not based around the strength of the drink in their glass and more about lovely evenings out,” she says.
A version of this feature recently appeared in our Money blog here.
Prosecutions of sub postmasters by the Department for Work and Pensions could be “tainted” as Sky News reveals officials worked with now discredited Post Office investigators to secure convictions.
Around 100 prosecutions of Post Office staff were led by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) between 2001 and 2006.
It is understood that these usually involved the cashing in of stolen order books.
The Post Office itself wrongly prosecuted hundreds of sub-postmasters between 1999 and 2015 – based on evidence from the faulty Horizon accounting system.
The role of government
A Sky News investigation, however, has discovered that information was shared between Post Office investigation teams and the DWP.
Chair of the Justice Select Committee, Sir Robert Neill KC, said as a result DWP convictions “need to be looked at”.
“I hadn’t been aware of that, for example, there may have been material in the DWP case as a result of joint investigations – which suggests a disclosure failure,” he added.
“I think that’s the area they need to look at if we are saying their approach was tainted from the beginning – in the way the investigators adopted things – then joint operations I suspect would be just as tainted arguably as something where it has been the Post Office on its own.”
What was known?
A 2003 DWP report into fraud describes “joint working” and the “sharing of information” with the Post Office.
It also outlines a “Fraud Prevention Board” established by the DWP and Royal Mail Group plc which includes “the exchange of information that directly assists fraud prevention and investigations”.
In addition, separately, a 2003 letter seen by Sky News also indicates a connection between DWP and Post Office investigations.
The letter, from the then post affairs minister Stephen Timms, references the case of Roger Allen, a sub-postmaster from Norwich.
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It states: “Subsequent investigations by the police, the Post Office Investigation Department and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) led to a prosecution by DWP…”
Roger Allen was convicted in 2004 of stealing pension payments and was sentenced to six months in prison. He died in March of this year.
Mr Allen had pleaded guilty to spare his wife – after his lawyer told him in a letter that there had been “an indication from the Crown that they may discontinue the proceedings against Mrs Allen were you minded to plead guilty”.
Despite the Criminal Cases Review Commission deciding Mr Allen had grounds to appeal against his conviction – it was upheld by the Court of Appeal in 2021.
DWP prosecutions are not covered in upcoming government legislation that will overturn Post Office convictions.
Roger Allen. Pic: Keren Simpson
Fighting to clear names
Keren Simpson, Roger’s daughter, has vowed to fight to clear his name posthumously.
She describes her father as a “proud” and “honest” man who “couldn’t face or deal” with the fact his conviction would not be overturned.
She says “in the end he obviously gave up” and there is “very little surviving evidence” because of the passage of time.
“He’s the innocent one,” Keren states. “I don’t see why he’s got to try and prove it. They have got to try and prove it, and show what evidence they actually had on my dad.
“Because the Department of Work and Pensions have put a statement out saying there was surveillance and witness testimonies and physical evidence to show it.
“Show me it.”
Roger Allen. Pic: Keren Simpson
Investigation failures?
Sky News has also seen documents that suggest failures by DWP investigators in a different case in the 2000s.
It involved a sub-postmaster who decided to plead not guilty and was acquitted of stealing by a jury.
In one extract it says a “senior investigating officer” was “willing to admit in open court that (they) had been neglectful in (their) duty in securing evidence”.
Another document appears to show a failure to review transaction logs used as evidence against the sub-postmaster.
Some logs appear to show that the accused did not cash the “dockets”, used to collect pension payments.
Other transaction logs indicate the sub-postmaster was not present at a particular branch when the theft was alleged to have occurred.
Christopher Head
Chris Head, former sub-postmaster and a campaigner for others, has also seen the documents and says they point to a “deeply flawed” DWP investigation.
“…they failed to obtain all transaction logs for the entirety of this case, but the ones that they have, they have they clearly haven’t looked at.”
He believes there are “more cases out there” which could be “part of a miscarriage of justice”.
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: “We do not recognise these claims.
“DWP investigates offences against the welfare system to protect taxpayers’ money, and between 2001 and 2006 a small number of Post Office staff were convicted for welfare-related fraud.
“These cases involved complex investigations and were backed by evidence including filmed surveillance, stolen benefit books and witness statements – they did not rely on Horizon evidence, and this has been accepted by the Court of Appeal.”
The Post Office says it “continues to help other prosecuting authorities to ensure that they have every assistance in taking their work forward”.
“This includes sharing all the information we have in relation to prosecutions which have been brought by other prosecutors.”
Meanwhile, Lord Sikka has tabled an amendment in the House of Lords to the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill to include all DWP convictions.
An outbreak of a waterborne disease in Devon has prompted urgent warnings for residents to boil their tap water.
At least 22 cases of cryptosporidiosis disease have been confirmed in and around the town of Brixham in South West England.
But what is the parasite that is making people sick, what are the symptoms of being infected with it and how serious can it be?
What is cryptosporidiosis disease?
Cryptosporidiosis is the disease caused by the parasite cryptosporidium.
Often shortened to crypto, infections can be caused by drinking contaminated water or swallowing contaminated water in swimming pools or streams.
It can also be acquired through contact with the faeces of infected animals or humans.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of cryptosporidiosis include:
• profuse watery diarrhoea
• stomach pains
• nausea or vomiting
• low-grade fever
• loss of appetite
How long does it last?
Most people develop symptoms within one to 12 days of picking up the parasite.
Symptoms usually last for about two weeks, but can last up to six weeks or longer when the immune system is not working properly.
During the illness, you might think you are getting better but the illness returns a couple of days later before you fully recover.
How serious is it?
Most people recover, but in people with severely weakened immune systems it can cause severe disease and can be fatal.
Serious cases and death used to be more common, according to Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia (UEA).
This is because before effective antiretroviral treatments were introduced for HIV/AIDS, people living with these illnesses would not recover if they picked up cryptosporidiosis.
Who is most at risk of serious illness?
People with weak immune systems are at greater risk of serious illness. This includes:
• people on some immunosuppressive drugs, for example cancer or transplant patients
• people with untreated HIV/AIDS
• malnourished children
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Residents ‘worried’ over water parasite
Does it need treatment?
There is no specific treatment for cryptosporidiosis.
It important to drink plenty of fluids as diarrhoea or vomiting can lead to dehydration, according to advice from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
You might also want to talk to a pharmacist about oral rehydration sachets to help replace the sugar, salts and minerals the body has lost.
Dr Lincoln Sargeant, Torbay’s Director of Public Health, said anyone with “severe symptoms like bloody diarrhoea” should contact NHS 111 or their GP.
Severe cases may require hospital treatment.
How do you know if you have crypto?
The symptoms of crypto are similar to other stomach bugs, so the only way to know for sure if you have it is for your doctor to send a sample of your faeces to be tested in a laboratory.
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How can you stop the illness spreading?
If you are ill, stay away from nursery, school or work while you have symptoms, and for at least 48 hours after they stop.
You should also avoid swimming for two weeks after being unwell.
You should not prepare food for anyone else until 48 hours after diarrhoea has stopped.
Make sure you’re using good handwashing practices too, washing your hands thoroughly when handling food and after using the toilet.
The UKHSA also advises washing bedding and towels on the hottest possible cycle.
UK
Lucy Letby: Families of victims want inquiry live streamed to stop ‘grossly offensive’ conspiracy theories
The inquiry into how nurse Lucy Letby was able to murder babies at a hospital in Chester will begin to hear evidence in September.
Lawyers for the families of Letby’s victims told a preliminary hearing that the inquiry should be live streamed to the public to prevent the spread of “grossly offensive” conspiracy theories.
Letby was sentenced to 14 whole-life orders after she was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six others while working on the neo-natal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016.
At the preliminary hearing, inquiry chair Lady Justice Thirlwall heard submissions on whether the hearings should be publicly broadcast.
Peter Skelton KC, on behalf of the families of six babies, said Letby’s crimes continued to be the subject of conspiracy theories online.
“One of the most effective antidotes to those theories and the damage they cause will be to see and to hear the people involved in the hospital give a true and comprehensive account of the facts,” he said.
But Andrew Kennedy KC, representing the Countess of Chester, said there was a “high level of anxiety” from staff at the prospect of giving evidence which was live streamed.
He said: “If a witness is concerned about live-streaming then if we can remove that concern we can, we would suggest, encourage candour, frankness and openness.”
Letby was given multiple whole-life terms and will be re-tried on one charge next month
Richard Baker KC, representing some of the other families, said: “Their desire in this case is for change and so that others do not experience what they have experienced.”
They were “saddened” and “concerned” at the suggestion the lack of transparency might continue, he said.
Lady Justice Thirlwall will give her decision on whether the hearings will be broadcast at a later date.
She had begun the proceedings with a pause for reflection on the “lives lost”, “injuries sustained” and “suffering” of the families.
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The hearing was told 188 requests for information had been made to individuals including midwives, nurses, doctors, managers and members of the hospital board.
The inquiry hearings are scheduled to begin on 10 September at Liverpool Town Hall.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
The parents of the babies will be among the first to give evidence.
Counsel to the inquiry Rachel Langdale KC told the hearing: “There are no sides. It is a search for the truth.”
Last month Letby asked the Court of Appeal for permission to mount a full legal challenge to her conviction. Judges are due to rule on this at a later date.
The former nurse is due to face a re-trial next month on one charge of the attempted murder of a baby in February 2016.
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