Scotland's biggest nightclub halves its opening hours

Nightclubs have faced financial difficulties during the cost of living crisis

Scotland's biggest nightclub has reduced the number of days it opens due to the cost of living crisis and changing clubbing habits.

The Garage on Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow previously advertised opening its doors 365 days a year, including Christmas.

But the nightclub, which has been running for 30 years, will now only open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

The venue will occasionally open for special events outside of this, including planned gigs.

Club owner Donald MacLeod blamed rising costs and lower footfall in the city centre for the decision.

Mr MacLeod said the midweek opening times had been “sporadic” so the club wanted to put out a definitive update for revellers.

However, he stressed that this was only a precautionary measure as summer was traditionally quieter.

“At this time of the year, we’ve got the students going away, folk going on summer holidays and 200,000 Scots going to the Euros,” he said.

“Midweek has been terrible for the whole of Glasgow. Footfall in the city centre is down 400,000 people compared to the same period last year.

“The cost of living crisis is having a horrendous impact on the city and it's not being helped by the LEZ, applied parking charges, and the roadworks.”

Change in clubbing habits

He said he hoped the Garage would return to normal opening hours if the sector improved and urged locals to support their favourite bars and clubs to help them stay open.

A number of pubs and venues have closed in the city in the last year. Bonjour on Saltmarket closed in December after three years, and Symbol on Sauchiehall Street closed in August after being open for less than a year.

Mr MacLeod added: "There is a massive change in habits - if you've no money, you can't go out.

Donald MacLeod owns the Garage nightclub and Cathouse Rock Club

"If you can only afford to go out one day a week, then you'll pick the weekend.

"It is a safety thing as well - you want to know you can get a taxi home and there are more taxis being taken off the road."

The Garage hosts gigs as well as club nights and has previously seen the likes of Prince, One Direction and Marilyn Manson.

Mr MacLeod said the club would still open for planned gigs on days outside of the new opening hours.

Festivals in the city have faced similar difficulties.

Last month the Riverside Festival was cancelled due to low ticket sales, and Platform Festival was postponed due to a licence delay.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said nightclubs across the UK were struggling due to a substantial rise in operating costs, the squeeze on disposable income, and market changes.

He said: “Glasgow city centre remains a highly attractive destination for people in the city and the greater Glasgow area with an estimated 50 million visitors coming into the centre last year.

“We are working very closely with our public and private sectors partners to ensure the city centre stays resilient and adapts to change, which includes a focus on how we can support the night time economy."