FEATURE: CLUBS, BARS AND RESTAURANTS Blood on the dancefloor?
A negative economic cycle’s impact on disposable income can have grave implications for all kinds of leisure spend. For clubs, bars and restaurants, the primary strategy over the past few years has been to try to appeal to a wider customer base – a development that has necessitated the provision of more versatile and visually unobtrusive loudspeaker systems, writes David Davies
[KEY POINTS]
The mid-tier club/bar market is felt to be relatively robust in comparison to the large club sector
EVEN IN A SECTOR that is well exposed to the whims and wherefores of broader economic changes, the bar, club and restaurant markets can appear especially vulnerable. Any fluctuation or feeling of trepidation about job security in the population at large can impact significantly on leisure spend, with nights out being an inevitable victim of personal cutbacks.
Clubs, in particular, have
faced a challenging few years. The dance music boom was fading long before the latest economic downturn commenced, but reduced disposable income has undoubtedly contributed to the decline in the number of venues. In the UK, 2009-10
Venues are increasingly receptive to an ‘all bases covered’ approach to AV that encompasses audio, video, lighting and control
was almost epically grim, with market research company Mintel subsequently reporting that 355 nightclubs had closed their doors in this one 12- month period alone. Fortunately, the steady decline in the number of British pubs – more than 52 were closing every week in the first half of 2009, according to the British Beer & Pub Association, although that rate has since dropped dramatically – has not been mirrored in the bar trade. But the enthusiasm of operators to launch new concepts has dimmed, and it’s not exactly surprising; with scores of empty units threatening to turn some provincial centres into ghost towns, it’s no
Flexibility of loudspeaker systems is crucial as an increasing number of venues diversify in order to appeal to a wider customer base
longer far-fetched to fear the death of the high street. All of the above factors
have, inevitably, forced an even greater focus on the bottom line – a trend that, for audio companies, has demanded the provision of enhanced specifications at lower price points. Venues have also looked to other activities – including more live performances – to bring in the punters, and the recent introduction of more versatile loudspeaker solutions and compact yet powerful mixers confirms that, by and large, manufacturers have risen to the challenge of enabling easy repurposing of systems. So what is the current feeling among the
In a designer/architect- led market, minimal visual impact remains a major priority
Bar Brace at JFK Airport, New York is equipped with Audica Professional MICROseries audio systems by NYC's EL Media Group
manufacturer community about these markets, and in what ways are audio requirements evolving? In a bid to find out, Installation spoke to a handful of loudspeaker companies for whom bars, clubs and restaurants continue to constitute an important revenue stream.
ACTIVITY LEVELS The majority of contributors indicated that the middle tier of the combined bar/club/ restaurant market remains the most dynamic for their businesses. However, there was considerable variation in opinion as to how seriously current events are impacting upon activity levels within the segment.