Coronavirus: Hull nightclub Spiders closes temporarily over virus fears Published duration 5 March Related Topics Coronavirus pandemic

image caption Spiders Nightclub opened in 1979 and has a "anti dance theme in its music policy"

Hull's premier alternative nightclub has announced it is to close amid fears over coronavirus.

Spiders, a well-known venue in the city, has shut until further notice "in the interest of all residents".

Bosses at the nightspot, known for its casual dress code, said it was the "responsible" thing to do.

A nearby cafe owner hailed the measure as a "good idea", but one disgruntled clubber found it "a bit extreme".

On its Facebook page, the venue said it was responding to "the serious health threat currently posed to people in confined spaces".

The NHS advises that people only need to avoid crowded places if advised to do so by a medical professional.

Weekend revellers

But the owner of a cafe based opposite backed Spiders' decision.

"I think the owner is doing what is safe for the Hull people," he said.

"Maybe it is decreasing the chances of people getting the coronavirus by touching each other and gathering inside."

But one clubber, who said he had been in Spiders on Saturday night, branded the move "a bit extreme".

"I don't think they need to," he added, noting that the venue was filled with revellers at the weekend.

The Department of Health confirmed Hull's first coronavirus case on Tuesday.

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Spiders, on Cleveland Street, describes itself as "Hull's original indie-vidual nightclub" and has been a fixture on the city's music scene since it opened in 1979.

It has an "anti-dance" music policy, bans "trendy clothes" and has become known for serving cocktails in pint glasses.

In 2017, a book was published featuring photographs of clubbers taken in the 1980s.

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