Mixed feelings as town's last nightclub set to shut

Mossy's Nightclub at The Harbour Inn will hold its final event on Saturday, which will leave Lowestoft without a nightclub venue

A coastal town is set to lose its last remaining nightclub after its closing event on Saturday.

Mossy's Nightclub, on the first floor of The Harbour Inn in Lowestoft, has faced increased costs and dwindling customer numbers.

Some young people who spoke to the BBC said they prefer to go out in Norwich where there is a greater variety of venues, or watch live music instead.

Owner David Moss said the ground-floor pub would remain open, but for the club space, he added: "We've tried everything we can to keep Lowestoft's only club going, but it's just become unviable now."

The Harbour Inn pub will remain open in the immediate term

Mr Moss, who employs 220 staff across nine venues in Suffolk, began his business in Colchester in the 1980s.

"Times have changed. Since Covid, youngsters today are not like 25 years ago [where] people couldn't wait to finish work to go out on a Thursday night, Friday night and Saturday, always clubbing," he said.

"Now you've got pubs which are open until one o'clock in the morning. They've got live music. They [customers] don't need to go anywhere else.

"Also, they've changed. Young people who come out of university and work for me, so many of them don't even drink.

"I go around the different places and have a look at what's going on. I go down to Norwich and even those streets are quiet."

David Moss said increased costs and a younger demographic drinking less alcohol has undermined the viability of the club

Mr Moss said employment costs, with increases in the National Minimum Wage and National Insurance, undermined the club's viability, but added that he hopes to redeploy the club's staff.

"From April we knew it would start putting things into the wrong position.

"To be fair, we couldn't put our prices up. People have only got so much to spend and the more you're getting taxed and everything increased.

"We didn't want to come to this, but even with the simple licencing, we have to have six security people on.

"You're [paying] £21 an hour [to each of them] and they've got to be there five or six hours, and that's before you've got your DJs and everything. With the sheer cost of everything, it's not viable."

Katie Plant, 24, says she prefers to go to Norwich, and cites that as a reason Lowestoft has lost its nightlife

The BBC spoke to some young people in Lowestoft.

Katie Plant, 24, said: "I started off at 18, it was [called] Faith [then], so I was used to the sticky floors. But when it turned to Mossy's it was quite nice, had a nice atmosphere.

"You had lots of 18 year olds who wanted to get drunk but a nice group of people. The drinks were alright; it was just a fun atmosphere.

"It's sad because we had the [club] on the pier and that didn't last very long, and there's not much nightlife here any more."

She added: "Most people my age tend to go to Norwich. There's a lot more nightlife in Norwich... and that's where everyone seems to go.

"There's train stations in Lowestoft and Oulton Broad so it's easy to get there, so that's probably why there's not a lot here."

Neither Sophie, left, or Emily went to Mossy's but they believe it was a good venue for younger people to meet and socialise

Emily Stedman, 18, said: "I've never been there but what I've heard is it's made for teenagers who want to have a good night out. They have music and have a drink and socialise, and I think it's a good opportunity to make friends."

Sophie Scupham, 22, said: "I think it does bring people together in Lowestoft. It is a good place to go and it allows people to be themselves. It will be sad to see it close."

Bailey Woollard, 20, says he prefers to go to other venues and music festivals rather than go clubbing

Bailey Woollard, 20, said he goes out in Oulton Broad, and enjoyed live music at the First Light Festival in Lowestoft, rather than going clubbing.

"I think the clubbing scene is dying out now. I think the younger generation is getting a bit distant with it," he said.

"It does include me. I've had my days, done my years, and had my fun. I think it might upset the generation which is now coming up, but for most of us, I don't think a lot of us will be that bothered."

Poppy Stopforth, 21, says she has friends who would be upset by the club's closure

Poppy Stopforth, 21, was surprised to hear about Mossy's closure: "That's kind of crazy. It's been one of Lowestoft's landmarks for a while.

"I'm 21 and I used to go a bit more when I was 18, but I stopped drinking completely so it's not going to be a big change in my life, but I have a few friends who are probably going to be devastated."