How to save a failing scene.

For too long now, bars, pubs and clubs have been closing at a rate of something like 2 a day, for the past few years now.

While yes factor's like the lack of spare money on people these days is going to play a part in the decline of these places, something weird is happening. Theme'd bars are now giving up on their themes, we have it where some venues don't bother opening at certain times when they used to and service.... oh my, we'll come onto that in abit.

No one seems to have the exact plan needed to save these venues, but while i may not know myself how to save venues closing down, theres things not being done by alot of these places, which could certainly help a guest to enjoy their time at the venue and may help to save it....

• Clean the venue!

One of the most basic thing's, infact one of the most needed things, seems to be getting neglected by ALOT of places. While yes, you may well make staff cuts because you can't afford the extra staff you once could, it must be said that keeping your venue clean is still just as important. I, like many other people i know, wouldn't want to stay in a venue, or return to a venue, if it isn't kept as clean as possable.

Seeing pee on the floor in the toilets, sink's full of tissue paper, vomit on walls, spilled drinks.... sight's i see all the time in venue's, yet no one there to clean up. Awful and it needs sorting!!!

• Stick to your venue's values.

What i mean by this is like what i've seen with a bar recently called Reflex. The brand is theme'd as an 80's bar / club. Old light's, music, light up dance floor's.... loads of stuff, but they decided to scrap the 80's music and lost alot of the theme by doing so.

What they needed to do was to stick to the theme of the bar, because that was their selling point, that's why people went in the first place!

It's the same with bar's that are called "Gay" bar's. One near me recently got put under pressure because they refused to let a straight girl in.... GOOD! It's a gay bar, if you look into the history as to why we have them sort's of bars, you'll find out why i'm glad this bar stuck to its values!

• Invest!

Yes ok, as a venue owner you're not going to have tonnes of money to invest into thing's (Although did they never listen to their elders advice when they said to save for a rainy day? The rainy day as now arrived). Standards now have to be kept high, so invest in extra staff so you don't have massive que's at bar's, or piles of glasses everywhere not getting cleaned.

Invest into your customers, by that i mean, try going to your venue as a guest, what needs changing? Do the seats need to be re-fluffed? Do the walls look abit drab? Invest into your venue and you will seek the rewards.


I really could go on all day with things that these places could do to improve themselves and eventually getting more customers and repeat business. I think the one's i've listed are the most important things, certainly for me anyway.

Yes times are tough, but put up a fight!