Stevie G: Late hours opening will be a gamechanger
The proposals will extend nightclub hours and allow pubs to open later. These laws will bring Ireland more in line with Europe, and they make sense. Ireland has a young population, and many European migrants working in big companies such as Apple, and they are bemused that our venues close so early.
Tourists are vexed, and it’s embarrassing to explain to them that everything finishes at a time when many would just be heading out in other countries.
It’s not simply about foreign perception, though. Our own nightlife has long suffered from restrictions such that it has become practically impossible to run a nightclub. Extra late-night licences are not only expensive, but they also require court orders, further increasing the costs and inconvenience.
The new laws will hopefully mean that nightclubs are distinguished from late bars, and the proposals come with extra responsibility for those operating these venues. More CCTV and properly trained and accredited security staff are essential and would make the city a safer place.
The current system encourages binge drinking and creates a bizarre situation after peak hours, where nobody can get a cab and the streets are thronged.
The late-night fast food-outlets are full and messy and while usually the atmosphere is harmless, the packed streets make it more difficult for gardaí, emergency services, and buses and taxis.
A more staggered situation with different closing times would smoothen late night, and my own experience DJing in England and in Europe suggests that everyone is more relaxed when people enter and exit at different times.
Ms McEntee hopes that we can develop the nighttime culture and economy of Ireland, a point that seems to be lost on many observers, who think after hours simply mean drink and more drink. As someone who rarely drinks, I never like this stereotype, and I do think we will benefit from treating our adult population as adults.
The education around the dangers of alcohol and drugs are essential, and I think a more relaxed approach will mean that not only will we slow down, but more people might want to eventually come out and socialise too.
The pressure on the emergency services is often increased on the thronged streets at peak times, and people are safer socialising late in licensed venues than at house parties where anything can go. I was impressed when my colleague Mary Crilly, of the Sexual Violence Centre, told the Irish Examiner that the risks are no greater than our current closing times. “What is the difference between 2am and 6am? There is an idea that rape and sexual assault happens late at night, when people are drunk. It can do, but it is most likely to be perpetuated by someone who is known to the victim” she said.
Mary has helped spearhead the highly visible Safe Gigs Ireland campaign, which is working with venues, artists, and music fans to make gigs and nightlife safer by creating a zero-tolerance environment for sexual violence.
The aforementioned Give Us The Night is the main organisation that has done incredible work in getting things this far, and my hope is that future generations will benefit from it.
Many Irish music fans spend their weekends in Berlin, Amsterdam, or other European cities where the music doesn’t stop early.
Even this past weekend, the jazz festival showed that Cork can thrive when it’s given a chance. The bars were allowed to open later and the atmosphere was fantastic, with no trouble.
I had a rare Saturday night off, and was out for dinner and a couple of drinks, but I didn’t even attempt to try and get a taxi at 1am. Luckily, I’m a 20-minute walk away, but hopefully someday soon we will have a less-pressurised system, where people can leave at different times and where the city can really boast about it’s purple flag for great nightlife.
