• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
  • Guest Content
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Crowds flock back to clubs and ring in Freedom Day in style – but at what cost?

Some nightclubs welcomed back revellers last night for the first time since March 2020.

Henry Goodwin by Henry Goodwin
2021-07-19 11:49
in News
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Excited revellers described the midnight reopening of nightclubs as “like New Year” as they queued up for their first night out dancing since the start of the pandemic.

Some said they had “missed the buzz” of being out while others admitted they were already bored of queueing and needed the toilet.

Most of the remaining coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England on Monday, allowing nightclubs to finally welcome back patrons for the first time since March 2020.

Outside Egg nightclub in north London clubbers queued for more than an hour and cheered as the clock struck midnight, following a countdown from ten.

Fundraiser Chloe Waite, 37, who was first in the queue, said the occasion was “something we’re going to remember for a long time.”

“It’s going to be a special night,” she said. “For me this is a New Year’s-type event and something we’re going to remember for a long, long time and we might not get the opportunity for a while.”

‘I’m so excited’

Gabriel Wildsmith, 26, a video producer from London, who joined Waite at the front of the line said he had missed “meeting random people” and making friends.

“I’m so excited I’ve been waiting for this for so long … basically since we locked down,” he said. “I love going to clubs and I love meeting random people. You make great friends and you couldn’t do that until tonight.”

He added: “I’ve been here for an hour, I’m really keen.”

RelatedPosts

Andrew Tate’s Romania detention extended by 30 days, judges confirm

Michelle Mone’s yacht gets Led By Donkeys treatment

Matt Hancock’s cringeworthy GMB walk set to Terminator 2 scene

Christine Hamilton reminded of BBC drag appearance after she hits out at Sam Smith over new vid

The excitement was just as palpable in Leeds, where patrons queued to enter Bar Fibre.

“It feels so special,” said bar owner Terry George. “People are treating it like a very special occasion, like a New Year’s Eve type affair. Freedom Eve is what we’re calling it.

“Finally, we’re going to be able to dance. That’s the biggest thing, which is kind of a little bit sad really, because we’re given back something that’s our given right, to be able to dance in a bar, in a club.

“It should’ve been something that was there much earlier than this.”

‘That’s my life, my soul’

George, who had to close one of his three bars in Leeds due to financial pressures from the pandemic, said it would still take “a long time” to catch up on lost revenues, but “to have the place rocking again is going to be so exciting”.

“What’s it’s been like for the last year and a half is stopping people dancing, coming up to people who are sat at a table saying ‘You can’t dance, you can’t sing, you’ve got to keep quiet’. It’s the opposite of what we’re meant to be doing in the entertainment world.”

Bar Fibre patron Lorna Feeney, 44, of Leeds, said: “I’m absolutely ecstatic. That’s my life, my soul – I love dancing. It bonds me, it’s amazing, it makes me feel so good.

“It’s about listening to the music and really feeling it, having a dance and not having to worry about anything that’s going on – not sitting on your chair and getting fat.”

#FreedomDay from Heaven, central London, as nightclubs open again after 16 months pic.twitter.com/p0hkTdr8S1

— Benjamin Butterworth (@benjaminbutter) July 18, 2021

But for some, old exasperations returned swiftly with full bladders and sore feet, as guests speculated what the atmosphere inside would be like.

One woman waiting to enter Egg, who gave her name as Dolores Frankenstein, said: “I’m a bit open-minded as to how it’s going to be.

“I don’t know if it’s going to be good, it might not be. It might be quiet, it might be busy, (but) I think it’ll be a bit overwhelming to be around so many people again.”

She added: “I’m a bit bored of queuing already.”

‘I need a wee’

Liam Turner, 24, a warehouse worker from Banbury, said: “I need a wee but we’re in the queue, I’ve missed the feeling,”

“We’re so keen, it’s been so many months, too many months so I’m just glad to be back. I’ve missed the buzz of being in the queue going into a club.”

Little over an hour after the first guests entered, others were offered water and told by security members to sober up opposite the venue.

There were mixed feelings with regard to safety, with some admitting feelings of “apprehension” and others saying there was “zero” to worry about.

Actor Alex Clarke, 40, said: “There’s a bit of apprehension and uncertainty about the protocols. But as long as everyone is sensible then it’ll be alright.”

Kevin Ally, 45, who works in professional services, said: “I think we’re over-analysing it, it’s going to be awesome.

“There’s zero concern. The only concern is why we haven’t been here for a year and a half. It’s been a very long time since we’ve been out. It’s good to be back, and we’re here to dance.”

Related: The pilot scheme that sent Boris Johnson flying without a license

Content Protection by DMCA.com
Tags: club cultureclubbingcoronavirusFreedom Day

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

The Rise of the Superbug

Biden: Murdoch is the ‘most dangerous man in the world’

Amateur photographer films incredibly rare blood moon rising over historic windmill

Social enterprise tackling period poverty lands its sanitary products in Co-op

Set For Life Results for Thursday 2 December 2021 Tonight’s winning numbers

Backing Biden tax plan would bag Britain £15bn to ‘build NHS back better’

Husband of murdered MP Jo Cox says UK political tone is ‘worrying’

Woman whose parents died as result of infected blood scandal speaks out

Express warns Brits to watch out for import fees this Christmas

Liz Truss pictured riding tank in Latvia amid rising tensions with Russia

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.