Newcastle nightclub boss says venue will be ‘finished’ if lockdown restrictions continue into autumn

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A Newcastle nightclub boss has said his venue will be “finished” if lockdown restrictions continue into autumn.

Tom Caulker, managing and musical director of World Headquarters, said the fresh delay to the reopening of nightclubs is a “massive blow”.

The city centre nightspot had been due to reopen at midnight on June 21 with the first of many sold-out events.

READ MORE: Live updates as Boris Johnson confirms lockdown delayed until July 19

But along with the rest of the clubbing industry, it suffered a “massive disappointment” on Monday as Boris Johnson announced that constraints on nightclubs will continue beyond June 21.

The Prime Minister said the end of England’s coronavirus restrictions is to be delayed by up to four weeks.

Tom said World Headquarters would need some help to get through the latest delays, but would not be able to survive any further lockdowns.

“We’ve hired staff, we’ve ordered stock, we’ve got events that we’ve advertised – all because Boris said we would be open on June 21.

“It’s a massive blow for us, we haven’t made any money for 17 months.

“We are going to need some kind of help to make it through the next month – we’ve been eating beans on toast and the beans have run out.

“It’s gone beyond making money, it’s ‘can we survive?’”

Tom said that before the announcement of the lockdown roadmap earlier this year, he had been forced to put the property on the market, where it had attracted interest from property developers.

“Thirty years of World Headquarters and then it being turned into flats – the thought of it is awful,” he said.

“As long as this is the last lockdown we can survive, if it’s any more than that, we can’t. If it goes on until the autumn we are finished.

“We’re not like pubs, we don’t have outdoor areas, we haven’t had Eat Out to Help Out. We have to be open at full capacity.”

Tom said: “It’s a massive disappointment but tempered by the fact that we do understand the position – the last thing I want is for anyone to come to World Headquarters and get ill, so we’ll happily comply for another four weeks.”

He added: “There’s a massive demand for what we provide – there’s a whole generation who have been missing out on the bonding that going to nightclubs can give, so it’s a real shame that we are last on the list.

“People want to get out and celebrate – it’s good for your mental health, dancing is therapeutic, especially if you’re young. It’s a nightmare for them.”


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