Nightclubs longing for Covid clarity

Chicago Social Club owner Pieter de Kroon, like many other nightclub owners, is calling for more clarity for his business sector. Two years of on-and-off closures have left many in the industry with no choice but to shut their businesses permanently. The latest measure in place calls for all hospitality businesses to stick to a 10 p.m. closing time, which is too early for many club owners to open up with any chance of turning a profit.

Many nightclubs are believed to be planning on opening their doors in protest of the current coronavirus restrictions, similar to what bars, restaurants, museums, and theaters did last month just before most lockdown restrictions were relaxed. Nightclub and discotheque business representatives will hold a press conference Wednesday at 7 p.m. to give their perspective and elaborate on their planned protest action.

Last week there was a glimmer of hope for nightclubs and other night establishments. Health Minister Ernst Kuipers mentioned his plan in the Tweede Kamer to investigate how the 1G access policy could help night establishments. The current 3G policy requires all entrants to have either been vaccinated against Covid-19, recently recovered from the coronavirus infection, or test negative for the infection within 24 hours of entry. The 1G policy, in which all visitors are tested regardless of vaccination and recovery status, could offer a solution to the early closing time establishments are facing.

However, no date has been set for meeting to discuss the 1G policy.

According to Het Parool, De Kroon described his struggle with the ongoing uncertainty the government’s response to the pandemic has brought, “We only ask for perspective. That’s the hope we have for every press conference. But it’s been a long time since we’ve been mentioned.” The feeling of being forgotten has fuelled De Kroon’s latest action, ‘The Night Rises Up’, which involves several nightclub owners who are threatening to throw open their doors in protest.