Closed for eighteen months since March 2020, they are counting on a catch-up effect from Wednesday February 16.
“The re-opening is going to be crazy!” Matthieu Lebrun, manager of the Le Milton nightclub in Saint-Lô (Manche), could not find a better slogan for the flyers of his next evenings. On the starting blocks to reopen this Wednesday evening, he flooded social networks (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok); he also taped hundreds of posters to shops in the city. “We have just received orders for alcohol and soft drinks, says the professional, also spokesperson for the Umih Union of trades and hotel industries. I spent 15,000 euros – twice as much as usual – for four evenings. Since the announcement of the reopening, a dozen of my customers have taken two days of RTT to come every evening.
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The first nightclub in La Manche in terms of attendance (900 people maximum), Le Milton hopes to be full on Wednesday and Saturday. Since March 2020, nightclubs have only been open for 5 months, between July 9 and December 10, 2021.
Everywhere in France, it’s the same impatience: young people are stamping their feet to go out in a club on Wednesday. In Paris, table reservations in popular nightclubs are resold on the internet… “After the shock they experienced, remaining closed for eighteen months since March 2020, this reopening is cause for hope”rejoices Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Minister of SMEs.
150 judicial liquidations
Director of operations of the GB Investissements group (four nightclubs and two night bars in Nantes), Maxime Burdese had noted an increase in attendance of around 30% during the reopening in mid-July. “We are very optimistic, says this professional. Our establishments welcomed 800,000 customers in 2019. We hope to return to this level in 2022.”
Massive government aid limited the damage, but the most fragile did not last. “About 9 out of 10 nightclubs remained standing”, observes Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne. There have been nearly 200 closures (including 150 judicial liquidations) since the Covid, reducing the number of nightclubs in France to 1,400. From 25,000 employees before the crisis, the sector has only 22,000 (plus 23,000 security guards).
Most nightclubs have a capacity of less than 300 people. Many feel they have closed for political reasons
Matthieu Lebrun, nightclub manager
Despite government support, professionals hope never to close again because of the Covid. They had a hard time with this forced shutdown, especially since the night bars remained; however, many have a dance floor and employ a DJ. “By closing nightclubs and filing a ban on dancing, the government has not solved the problems, believes Matthieu Lebrun. Most nightclubs have a capacity of less than 300 people. Many feel they have closed for political reasons.”
Other sources of income
More infuriating: young people have not stopped going out in recent months. “It’s a masquerade, which made the business of the organizers of clandestine evenings”, continues the professional. According to the professionals, the parties organized in apartments (sometimes rented for the occasion) will not last.
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These are not places suitable for partying. However, professionals are looking for other sources of income. “Many owners are thinking about creating hybrid places, both discotheque and restaurant”, observes Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne. “These months of closures have encouraged us to accelerate the diversification of our activities,” recognizes Maxime Burdese.
Last year, GB Investissements opened a training center and a communication agency. In two years, the French have changed their habits: young people tend to go out earlier, the less young to go out less. “From now on, we will open at 11 p.m., and no longer at midnight”, says Maxime Burdese. If 18-25 year olds seem in a hurry to return to the discotheque (for light and video animation, theme evenings, guest artists, etc.), the others could take longer to return. They have become accustomed to quieter evenings, with each other.