Warnings of a “threat to public safety” have been made as the nightclub industry becomes the latest victim of the UK’s supply crisis.
After security worker numbers have become depleted when many left the industry for jobs with more preferable hours while nightclubs were closed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and the exiting of EU workers also said to have contributed to the problem, industry leaders are now warning that the issue could become a “threat to public safety” as some venues are struggling to find security staff.
The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) said last month that one in five nightlife and hospitality businesses have had to either close or reduce operating hours due to a shortage of security staff.
However, it said the situation has “deteriorated further” as demand continues to soar from those keen to enjoy a night out following the easing of lockdown measures.
Some estimates suggest that venues are having to pay security staff as much as 25% more.
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“If shortages continue to get worse, there is a very real chance it could become a threat to public safety,” said Michael Kill, Chief Executive Officer of the NTIA.
“Like in other sectors currently seeing shortages, this is a long-term issue and decline in security resources can be tracked back at least three years, but this has been hugely exacerbated by the pandemic with many licensed staff leaving the sector when the bars and clubs closed and now choosing not to return.
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“Brexit hasn’t helped either, but it is far from the only factor at play here.”
Industry leaders are now warning that the issue could become a “threat to public safety” / Credit: Unsplash (Antoine Julien)
Mr Kill has also urged the government to take necessary steps, such as funding training initiatives, streamlining new training requirements, or tackling shortages through legislation, to help “ease the problem”.
The UK’s largest nightclub operator, Rekom UK, and bar chain Revolution has also reported suffering from a shortage of bouncers.
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Nightclubs across the UK aren’t the only venues currently experiencing a shortage of security staff though, as Sacha Lord – Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester – has also previously said that “security staffing was the biggest issue” at this year’s Parklife Festival at Heaton Park back in September.
Lord said it was a struggle to hire the 1,000 security personnel required to cover the 80,000-capacity event, explaining: “We have always taken it for granted that you can send an email to three or four security providers and get our 900-1,000 security staff.
“But this year we had to beg, borrow and steal from all over the country.
“We had to bus them in from north Scotland, Devon and all over [when] normally it is very localised and they come from Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool.”
The NTIA has urged the government to take necessary steps to help “ease the problem” / Credit: Pixabay
Lord also added that the 124 security staff working at the Warehouse Project nightclub events – which kicked off last month, and is taking place at Depot Mayfield on Friday and Saturday nights until January – are being paid about 25% more than previously.
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The shortage of bouncers comes after the NTIA has estimated that almost 90,000 jobs have been lost in the UK’s night time and cultural economy since the pandemic began.
The sector was valued at being worth £36 billion in 2019.
The latest staffing squeeze also comes as hospitality venues are being hit by soaring costs, including higher energy bills – which have already led to an estimated 10% increase in costs – according to Sacha Lord.
Featured Image – Flickr
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Beloved plant-based independent street food business Herbivorous is set to close imminently
Danny Jones
We hate writing this, but we have news of yet another local hospitality closure as beloved Manchester-born and pioneering plant-based brand Herbivorous has confirmed they’ll soon be calling it a day.
If you can hear us sighing through the screen, apologies – we’re just getting really fed up of saying farewell to our favourites, so god knows how rubbish those involved feel.
As you can see, the team behind the multi-location vegan street food specialists began by writing: “It’s a long one so stay with me… It seems you can’t open social media at the moment without reading about another hospitality business closing down.
“Throughout 8 years of Herbivorous years we’ve come up against many challenges from Covid 5 years ago to watching all the big vegan brands from London and beyond come to Manchester and largely disappear again to the closure of Hatch our busiest site, but with continually increasing costs its becoming really difficult to maintain a thriving business.”
Herbivorous started out life back in 2016 as a cult hit at the old outdoor food, drink and entertainment hub centring around a ‘container village’, the first of its kind in the city and soon to reopen under new owners and a new name.
Since then, co-founders Robyn and Damian have gone on to expand not just to one permanent site over in Withington but with outposts in Sheffield and York, having gained a strong reputation with stalls and pop-ups all over.
Their hospitality story might not have the ending we personally would hope for, but it’s been a brilliant one for so many foodie fans – us lot included.
Nevertheless, they go on to add in the emotional statement that external pressures such as a recent bereavement and their own ever-growing family have also contributed to the decision which, despite being an understandably hard one, “feel like the right time.”
“We are so incredibly proud of how far we’ve come from spending long days slinging duck wraps from our green vintage horse box at festivals to three Herbi locations across the North of England”, they continue, “and with that we’ve also met so many fantastic people!”
“Whether you worked for us at a few festivals over [the] summer or for years at our restaurant, we just wanted to say and massive thank you! The memories will stay with us forever and, of course, how can we not mention our fabulous customers!
“Thank you all so much for choosing Herbivorous over the years. Those of you who had our food at Festivals and then found us at one of our permanent locations, those of you who came back week after week to Hatch, Spark, Withington and beyond.”
They signed off by detailing their final business days, with their Sheffield Kommune spot having already shut for refurbishment; meanwhile, their spot in SPARK York will be wrapping up on Saturday, 19 April.
As for their flagship brick-and-mortar venue here in Greater Manchester, Herbivorous Withington will be shutting on Friday, 25 April.
Once again, there’s nothing we can say other than thank you for years of delicious food, that we’re guttted to see you go, and that everyone at The Manc Group wishes you the best whatever comes next.
AJ Tracey is playing a VERY intimate gig in Manchester next month
Thomas Melia
London rapper and respected grime artist AJ Tracey is ‘live and direct’ once again, announcing a whole host of UK dates, one of which is a rather intimate gig right here in Manchester.
It’s official: one of UK rap’s leading gents is getting back on the road and he’s showing a ‘Little More Love’ to lots of cities, including Manchester.
In a post on the UK star’s socials, AJ Tracey trades his music persona for that of a sports pundit as he announces the dates for his upcoming tour while impersonating an F1 commentator.
Anyone looking to attend Tracey’s ‘Not Even A Tour’ can catch the star up and down the country on his over 20-date tour with a stop in Manchester as soon as this month.
The rapper has reached phenomenal heights since dropping the unforgettable ‘Ladbroke Grove’ in 2019 and is heading out across the nation to make sure everyone knows about it.
Get ready to spit bars left and right as this rapper’s discography is stacked with serious tunes like ‘Dinner Guest’, ‘West Ten’, ‘Thiago Silva’ and more.
More recently, he collaborated with Walsall’s finest Jorja Smith for a flirty garage beat also known as ‘Crush’ with the video being the two artists talking it out in a good old fashioned caff.
The latest collaboration with Smith marks the start of a new era for Mr. Live and direct as it fell in line with the announcement of his third studio album.
Titled Don’t Die Before You’re Dead, we’re sure he’ll be “building a vibe” wherever he goes and probably previewing a few exclusive tracks from his upcoming project too.
This gig may come as quite a surprise for any hardcore fans of the ‘Ladbroke Grove’ star as the venue in which he’s performing is definitely intimate only, holding just over 250 guests.
This rap giant is bringing his unbelievable beats to none other than the legendary small-cap city centre live music venue, The Deaf Institute, at the end of this month.
It’s safe to say you won’t get many more chances, if any, to see him in such a tight-knit space again.
AJ Tracey is bringing ‘Not Even A Tour’ to Deaf Institute in Manchester on 30 April, with tickets on sale Friday 4 April from 12 noon.