Belters Only call on the Government to prioritise the revival of Dublin’s nightlife in an interview featured in the current issue of Hot Press.

In 2000, there were 522 nightclubs in Ireland. Today, just 83 remain, according to campaign group Give Us The Night.

As campaigners have stated, Dublin’s cultural nightlife has suffered due to outdated licensing laws and the lack of progress on extending nightclub hours. Despite promises for reform, politicians seem to be dragging their heels in the issue.

The duo, comprising Robbie Griffiths and Conor Bissett, spoke on the dire need of nightlife in Dublin, as they claim "Belters Only wouldn't be what they are... if it wasn't for the nightclubs we went to."

"We grew up with '90s dance music. In terms of the mainstream, it was something that wasn't really respected, but it has a history here in Ireland," they said.

"I was in in the Dáil talking to the politicians about my story - and since then nothing has changed. If anything, it's gone backwards, after the election.

"We need the whole industry to get behind Sunil Sharpe and the Give Us The Night Campaign, because he's doing God's work. Since Covid, the industry has been forgotten about very quickly."

Progress on changing these laws stalled in the lead-up to the General Election, and it will now fall to the new Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan, to push any reforms forward. However, nightlife legislation does not appear to be a priority at present.

Check out the full interview in the new Hot Press issue below: