Monday, October 18, 2021
Next branch with problems
In the UK there are no bouncers
When clubs and bars had to close during the pandemic, many bouncers looked for another job. Quite a few have left the industry and found new jobs with better working hours. Many clubs now lack staff.
The British club industry is currently lacking bouncers. “If the shortage increases, it can become a threat to public safety,” said the head of the Night Time Industries Association, Michael Kill, as the broadcaster Sky News reported. During the pandemic, when clubs and bars were closed for many months, many left the industry and looked for jobs with more pleasant working hours.
“Brexit did not help either, even if it is not the only factor that plays a role here,” said Kill. Many EU workers left the UK during the pandemic. New Brexit visa rules mean that very few return. This leads to problems in a number of industries, the most drastic so far has been the effects of a lack of truck drivers, which led to empty supermarket shelves and dried out gas stations.
According to the Night Time Industries Association, around one in five clubs or restaurants in the UK had closed or restricted opening times by the past month due to a lack of security personnel.
Peter Marks, head of Rekom UK, which operates several British club chains, reported on the rising costs incurred by the industry as a result of higher wages, energy prices and the return to higher VAT. “The costs have risen by around 15 percent,” said Marks to the broadcaster Sky News.