'Unfair' Covid restrictions force French nightclubs to stay shut

Nightclubs in France may reopen from Friday after more than a year – but the industry is crying foul over “unfair” health measures that it says will force three quarters of venues to stay shut.  

The decision to reopen French nightclubs comes despite a surge in Delta variant infections that risks delivering a fourth virus wave. REUTERS - NOEMIE OLIVE

Strict sanitary conditions are governing the reopening of discotheques, with revellers required to present a health pass proving they've been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus or have recently tested negative.

Indoor clubs may open at 75 percent capacity, rising to 100 percent for outdoor venues. Masks do not need to be worn.

The decision to reopen comes despite a surge in Delta variant infections in France that risks delivering a fourth virus wave.

Nightclubs have been shut since March 2020. While restaurants, cinemas, museums, theatres and even sex clubs have gradually reopened, clubbing establishments were made to wait longer.

Measures 'too strict'

Despite getting the green light, however, many clubs say the conditions under which they are allowed to open are too strict.

"Three quarters of nightclubs will not reopen," warned Patrick Malvaës, president of the National Union of Discotheques and Leisure Venues (SNDLL), which represents about half of French nightclubs.

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Malvaës told FranceInfo radio it was hypocritical of the government to enforce tough measures on nightclubs but not other night-time venues.

"We want the health pass to be applied to all places that have the same activity as us. Sex bars, for example, are open without restrictions," he said.

"They get our clientele and take advantage of an extraordinary windfall effect.”

Unvaccinated youth

The latest figures from the Ministry of Health show that only 19 percent of people aged between 18 and 34 years old have been fully vaccinated. 

Meanwhile a study by the YouGov institute found that only 35 percent of people in that age group intended to go to a nightclub once they reopened.

"Among the young people who do not intend to go to a nightclub, 14 percent said they did not wish to undergo a Covid-19 screening test, 13 percent preferred to wait until the health crisis was over and 10 percent did not wish to be in contact with crowds", the survey said.