How to support Bristol's night time economy during coronavirus crisis

How to support Bristol's night time economy during coronavirus crisis

Posted on: 15 Jun 2020

It could be months before businesses across the city are able to operate at full capacity.

 

As shops start to reopen and businesses up and down the UK push to continue trading, it's easy to forget that we're still very much in the middle of the COVID-19 crisis. 

 

It is, of course, good news that stores are reopening and business owners are able to begin the process of recovering from a three-month lockdown. But, where some stores and shops are able to introduce initiatives that will keep customers safe, others have no option but to remain closed.

 

Bristol's night time economy - made up of top music venues, clubs, bars, pubs and restaurants that keep the city at the forefront of UK nightlife - looks set to be among the sectors worst-hit by COVID-19. 

 

Shops may be reopening, but what do you do if you run a nightclub that flat-out cannot adhere to social distancing guidelines? How do you keep people safe - and make profit - if you run a small high street restaurant with 10 tables?

 

Despite the slow return to normality, it will likely be several months before hundreds of independent businesses are able to reopen at full capacity in Bristol, meaning owners and staff are still facing uncertain futures and massive drops in revenue.

 

Read on for a quick rundown of the best ways to get behind Bristol's night time economy, and do what you can to support it through an unprecedented period.

Sun setting over The Lockyard at Motion.

Contact your MP as part of the NTIA's #SaveNightlife campaign

 

The Night Time Industry Association has launched a #SaveNightlife campaign, aimed at promoting UK nightlife and culture, raising awareness of the issues facing it and building a nationwide collective of supporters.

 

As part of the campaign, the NTIA are asking the public to email their local MPs to push them to prioritise the protection of businesses involved in the nightlife sector, to help safeguard their future.

 

The team have drafted a template email, calling for MPs to establish a night time economy support grant, to provide an extension of the furlough scheme for employed and self-employed staff and owners, to provide assistance in disputes with landlords and commit to shaping the narrative and ensure the public understand that it's safe to return to venues, bars and other businesses as soon as health concerns have been addressed.

 

Head to the NTIA website to show your support by sending an email to your local MP today.

 

 

Keep hold of your tickets and be patient with refunds

 

Almost all of us will have had a ticket for at least one event which has been cancelled or postponed as a result of the lockdown, and while we still don't know when things will return to normal, even rescheduled dates are looking like they may not be able to go ahead.

 

These are tough times for us all, and obviously it's frustrating to have paid for an event that's been cancelled, but it's a huge burden for venues and events spaces to be processing refunds at the same time as dealing with cancellations, rushing to reschedule events and trying to navigate several months with limited resources.

 

If at all possible, we recommend you hold on to your ticket until you hear news about the rescheduling or full cancellation of an event. In most cases, your ticket will be valid for a rearranged date, but even where an event is no longer able to go ahead, you could consider offering to donate the price of your ticket to help the respective venue through the next few months.

 

In times like these, your £10, £15, £20 ticket may not seem like a lot, but declining a refund could help to alleviate the impact of mounting financial issues facing some of Bristol's top venues and events spaces.

 

 

Order from independents that have set up takeaway and delivery services

 

Businesses across the bar and restaurant sector have been hard at work setting up new delivery and takeaway services over the last few weeks. Forced to change business models as a result of the lockdown and subsequent closures, independents across the city are now offering a wide range of products either for collection or home delivery.

 

Flipside Cocktail Club, for example, recently launched their all-new Cocktails 2 You service, bringing bar-quality cocktail kits to homes in and around Bristol while they remain unable to open their bar to customers. The innovative scheme has been so successful that Flipside have now made their deliveries available nationwide - check out their full menu and treat yourself to an order for this weekend here.

 

Other pubs, bars and restaurants, including The Lazy Dog, Left Handed Giant and Three Brothers Burgers have reopened with re-shuffled menus and new systems in place to ensure customer and staff safety. You might not be able to replicate the atmosphere of your favourite pub just yet, but rest assured some of the city's top independents are doing what they can given the circumstances they find themselves in. 

 

Next time you're in the mood for a takeaway, look past the chain restaurants and stay away from Deliveroo if you can, and make your way down to one of several Bristol pubs and bars that have reinvented themselves in order to limit the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

 

 

Support and share fundraising campaigns

 

Crowdfunders and online fundraising drives have been set up by businesses across Bristol as a result of COVID-19. Music venues are facing ongoing disputes with landlords, pubs have been denied rent relief, buildings are in desperate need of renovations, and virtually all of the above have experienced an almost total loss of revenue during the lockdown.

 

If your favourite venue (or club, pub, bar, restaurant etc) is asking for donations for one reason or another, spare a few quid to show your support. A single donation of a fiver might not seem like much to you, but a crowdfunding campaign gaining some traction and raising hundreds or thousands of pounds could make all the difference in a venue's fight to stay open. 

 

The Music Venue Trust launched the nationwide #SaveOurVenues campaign back in April, after discovering that as many as 556 UK venues were at "imminent risk" of permanent closure.

 

In recent weeks, The Old England, The Louisiana, The Exchange, The Mother's Ruin, Seamus O'Donnell's and The Chelsea Inn have all launched crowdfunding campaigns. Even if it's just a case of sharing the links across social media or telling your mates on the group chat, we urge you to do what you can to get behind fundraisers and help to safeguard the futures of nighttime business across the city.

 

 

Watch and donate to online live streams

 

Some of Bristol's top clubs and promoters have hosted a wide range of live stream events in response to closures, showcasing local artists across social media networks in place of their usual programming.

 

Lakota recently celebrated their 28th birthday with a marathon 28-hour live stream, Basement 45 owner Mark Davis has launched a new mix series on the club's Facebook page, and much-loved local promoters Bitch, Please! raised funds for Caring in Bristol throughout May with a run of charity live streams. Colston Hall also launched Bristol Takeover Online in May, which is a brand-new digital music festival showcasing some of Bristol's top artists through solo shows and takeovers.

 

Live-streamed and online events are a great way for artists and venues to keep engaged with audiences, but they also provide an opportunity to raise funds for artists whose livelihoods have come to a standstill as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

 

If you're missing your favourite venues, why not check into their Facebook pages to see what they're doing during lockdown? It might be a while before we can return to the dancefloor, so be sure to tune in to a live stream whenever you can. Don't hesitate to donate, too - you wouldn't expect to attend a gig for free!

 

 

Buy merchandise and share your purchases on social media

 

With doors firmly closed and events programmes at a standstill, merchandise has suddenly become a vital source of revenue for clubs, venues, bars and restaurants across Bristol. Several, including Lakota, Trinity Centre and Oowee to name a few, have launched t-shirts, hoodies and more, allowing devoted regulars to show some love when they're out and about.

 

From simple logo designs to specially-created products and collaborations with other Bristol independents, merchandise is a great way to freshen up your wardrobe and give a nod to the venues close to your heart. 

 

If you're missing your favourite venue, pub or takeaway, check in online to see if they've got merch available, treat yourself to a t-shirt or two, and don't forget to spread the word with a post on social media once your order comes through in the post.

Trinity Centre merchandise.Trinity Centre merch

 

Main image: Bristol City Centre BID

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Article by:

Matt Robson

 

Editor - 365Bristol.com & LOUD Magazine
 

Matt is a Journalism graduate and writer, passionate about supporting Bristol music, art and independent business. Get in touch via email at matt@365bristol.com.