As if club culture in London wasn’t already constricted by the powers-that-be, along comes more legislation to chip away at our nightlife. Just last week it was announced that London’s Metropolitan Police are launching a pilot scheme that will enable doormen to breath test clubbers before they are allowed to enter as a means to prevent “pre-loading”.

Just before Christmas, the Met suggested a raft of specific measures for one of the city’s most influential venues, Fabric. Among one proposal - although not yet in use - was the recommendation to have sniffer dogs in place in an attempt to clamp down on drug use at the venue. In the aftermath of these newly proposed procedures, I spoke to several friends who had almost given up on London’s ever-decreasing number of quality clubbing spaces, suggesting that European destinations would provide a far better, more permissive and liberal setting.

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It goes without saying that irresponsible drug use and excessive drinking is dangerous, and has a negative impact on the nightlife industry. It’s understandable that the authorities want to crack down on anything that can lead to harm. However, the measures that are being taken are typically excessive and draconian – and, once again, highlight how British authorities can often favour short-term fixes for issues that require far greater attention and consideration.

For instance, if one club turns away someone who is over their breathalyser limit, what’s to stop them going elsewhere, or remaining on the streets where they may end up still getting into a confrontation? Using dogs as a deterrent to those who want to indulge in recreational drug taking at a dance music venue is hardly going to stop them taking those drugs elsewhere.

Perhaps rather than trying to quash drink and drug culture, procedures should be in place to educate people in the risks and promote a responsible attitude. After all, more education, and a more liberal attitude in respect of free testing of drugs for club and festival goers, may have helped to avoid recent deaths from a lethal batch of Superman pills, which contained dangerous PMMA. Amsterdam’s Night Mayor, Mirik Milan, who is opposed to the drug policies of UK clubs, echoed this sentiment recently.

“If you look at drugs as being a problem just for dance music or for nightclub owners then you’re looking at it wrong,” Milan said. “Drug use is something which sits in society, and which you will not take out by having sniffer dogs at the door.”

He also advocated Switzerland’s liberal approach to drug testing: “In Switzerland, you can test on location at festivals, and the last person to die in Switzerland due to taking drugs at an event was seven years ago. It’s not like they’re just drinking schnapps in the hills in Switzerland, so if you look at it from a damage limitation perspective, it works.”

As it stands, European destinations such as Berlin have benefited from an open-minded, intelligent approach to club culture. Besides the city’s most famous club space, Berghain, there are numerous other venues which promote an inclusive, liberal atmosphere and stay open from Friday night until Monday morning. In doing this, they give the club-going public a level of respect and freedom that can only result in a more responsible attitude to drink and drug use. It’s no wonder the UK has such a big problem with binge drinking, with our opening hours and the high cost of alcohol in most bars and clubs.



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London’s club industry is already lagging behind many of its European competitors and these new restrictions are not going to help. You only have to look at permissive hotspots like Amsterdam and Berlin to see how a club-friendly policy can boost tourism and allow a city’s nightlife, and music industry, to flourish.

Instead of suppressing the culture, the authorities need to celebrate it, encourage it and make sure all those who are involved, from the bottom up, are given all the necessary information and education to protect themselves.