Issue 2

The Death of Clubbing Culture

By: Meg North

In 1986 there were over 36,000 nightclubs in the UK; there are now 787 according to figures from the analysts at CGA by NIQ. This amount has halved between 2013 and the present day. The COVID-19 pandemic had an inevitable financial impact, resulting in closures, but research shows Gen Z would increasingly choose a night-in over dancing and alcohol.

I would argue that the motives for clubbing have also changed in this rising technological world; it is almost impossible to go on a night out without wanting to pull out a phone. Concerts, raves and festivals are now a sea of white squares getting the best video to post on an Instagram story. This couldn’t be more polarising to the vibrant rave culture of the 1980s, which emerged with the introduction of dance and house music. These raves often took place underground, giving people a space for expression and bonding in response to the political climate of Thatcherism and its perceived loss of community. This sort of cultural rejection through subcultures are less likely to happen in a Gen Z world where togetherness and advocacy is widely digital. Furthermore, that feeling of freedom through dance may now be hindered as each moment can be played back the next morning though a screen.  

In my opinion, music shapes culture, and the top charts reflect wider social ideologies and norms. Interestingly, there has been a rapid decline in songs alluding to clubs, dancing and partying. In 2003, 50 Cents “In da club” sparked a new style of electronic club music with the genre topping charts until 2010. Other examples relating to club culture include “Yeah!” by Usher, “Tipsy” by J Kwon and “Tik Tok” by Ke$ha. There is however a distinct halt in songs based on drinking and partying in the early 2010s. This begs the question: did music just evolve or was there just less need for party anthems?  

We can’t talk about a dying club culture without addressing economic changes and the unfortunate existence of a cost-of-living crisis. In 1990, a pint cost on average £1.22, as of 2025, a pint averages at £5. If you want a spirit with a mixer, you are looking close to £8, and it is now almost impossible to find a cocktail below double digits. What’s more, a night out in London is an entirely different ball park. TimeOut conducted a study and found that the cost of some club entries has increased by 392% since 1995. They also created an average night out scenario- two pints at the pub, get the tube, pay club entry, have two more pints, get a Macdonalds and then take a 20-minute taxi home. In 1995 that would have averaged at £22.03, in 2025 this total comes to £66.48. The costly nature of a night out no longer aligns with the money in the pockets of young people; hence more and more are opting for alternative social activities. For example, I have noticed that many ‘replacement’ activities increasingly align with health, fitness and sobriety. Many (sadly, I would argue) are replacing a night of drinking with Pilates sessions and park runs. Online communities, such as TikTok, have amplified the fitness world with many influencers advocating for a morning 5k over a hungover McDonald’s in bed.  

The sad decline of party and club culture was arguably inevitable in a technological post-COVID world. It reflects the wider societal, economic and psychological changes we have faced. Young people are navigating a vastly different world from the youth of the 80s as community and expression has moulded into digital forms. The dancefloor is no longer a space yearned for by Generation Z in the same way it once was.  

Sources: 

1.        https://cgastrategy.com/new-cga-and-ntia-monitor-reveals-the-changing-landscape-of-night-time-hospitality/
2.      https://www.gwi.com/blog/gen-z-lonelines
3.  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czed9321l37o#:~:text=%22We%20have%20a%20massive%20dependence,been%20exacerbated%20by%20the%20pandemic.
4. https://www.timeout.com/london/news/how-much-the-cost-of-a-night-out-in-london-has-changed-over-30-years-050725