At the end of May, the Give Us The Night (GUTN) crew will be packing their record bags and setting off on a national tour in an attempt to raise money for, and awareness of, their cause: the introduction of sequential, or staggered, closing times between bars, late bars and nightclubs and the extension of opening hours for nightclubs. They are also seeking the introduction in Ireland of a specific night-club license.
More than a bunch of clubbers looking to stay out late, GUTN say the issue of opening hours is at heart a socio-economic one. Ireland spends millions every year on strategies like Operation Encounter in an attempt to clean up our streets – resources are stretched to cope with night life’s messy fall-out, and we compromise the security of people working in and around clubs by not having a legitimate ‘night-club’ license.
Sunil Sharpe, a spokesman for GUTN, says: “ We think a more relaxed attitude towards opening hours and availability of alcohol will lead to more calm and less alcohol-related public order offences”.
GUTN reckons Ireland’s restrictive policies towards alcohol are a contributing factor to late night violence. The group says the best way to quell public disorder on the streets is to stagger the times that people leave bars and clubs, in turn creating a more manageable arrangement for Gardai, public transport and emergency services.
Says Sharpe: “We want to see a country with a vibrant night life, less trouble on the streets and a population that is allowed to naturally form its own drinking habits instead of being forced to comply with outdated, and somewhat shady, laws that encourage binge drinking.”
Currently night clubs aren’t legally recognised here. There’s no such thing as an actual ‘night club’ licence so owners must apply every month, under legislation dating from 1935, for a ‘special exemption order’ to validate their late opening.
In 2004, the situation almost go worse when Gardai proposed a blanket reduction in opening hours to 1.30am.
GUTN was formed in opposition to these proposals, quickly garnering 20,000 signatures for a petition demanding more liberal opening hours. “We decided we had to do something about it,” says Sharpe. “Even if it were to just create debate or discussion on the matter”.
The organisation is now embarking on a national music tour to raise the lobby’s profile and bring the issue to wider attention. The motive, Sharpe says, is “to build up greater awareness” while continuing to permeate “various sectors of the media and internet, and spreading our tentacles into the political arena”.
In a year when a Sale of Alcohol Bill is being codified, Sharpe’s hopeful that the need for change may be acknowledged by some politicians. “Some candidates running for the next election have already expressed interest in our campaign,” he says. “While we don’t favour any party, we were happy to see Young Fine Gael’s Ard Fheis policy announcement of 24 Hour Licensing – an idea that’s backed by some FG members too.”
As well as their new ‘Join the Campaign’ initiative, where people can support the lobby, GUTN hopes to meet with Minister McDowell. The organisation submitted a proposal to him last year and Sharpe reckons that “despite his wild moments, he (is) an intelligent man, and he must surely be eyeing the UK’s successful 24 Hour licensing system with a certain sense of envy.”
The fact that the Minister couldn’t even get a semi-progressive proposal like Café bars through is worrying, admits Sharpe: “There’s a sense that we’re out of step; that we’re dealing with these social consequences and economic repercussions in a draconian and antiquated way.”
Sharpe says that a change to the law governing nightclubs could really benefit Ireland, particularly in tourism, adding that the organisation is in no way promoting excessive drinking.
Irish lifestyles have changed, he says. People are not necessarily working nine to five anymore. Those who work unusual hours are as entitled to a drink as anyone else.