Why do the shops close so early here? An investigation into Cambridge nightlife

It’s 4am, you’ve just come out of the Mash and you’re starving. Where do you go? Unfortunately, your options are very limited: if you’re lucky, Gardies might still be open, but otherwise all other clubs, bars, fast food restaurants and supermarkets are closed. For people who have never been to Cambridge, this will seem very strange: so many other cities in the UK have a vibrant nightlife that goes on long after sunrise, especially in cities with lots of students.

So why is nightlife in Cambridge – a university town – so low-key and what impact is that having on the city? To find out the answer to this question, I spoke to Michael Bryce, founder of Nightlife Cambridge, a promotion company for the best nights in town. He has worked in the nightlife industry in Cambridge for nearly six years as a bartender, bar supervisor, promoter and bouncer – he has seen the industry through all its ups and downs. He told me that when he worked as a bouncer, it was “challenging” getting home at 4:30am, dealing with difficult students and being on reduced hours during Covid, but “it was fun, I don’t think I would take it back”.

When I asked Bryce why he thought Cambridge’s nightlife was quieter than some other British cities, he said: “I think there are a number of factors. The main reason is that there seems to be a certain disdain for the nightlife industry when it comes to the impact it has on young people. I think that’s completely misplaced.”

He added: “I think there are a lot of benefits to going out with friends. I think it’s a fundamental experience for young people that influences the rest of their lives. It’s how they build contacts and social bonds, which is just as important as anything else they learn.”

“I think it is a fundamental experience for young people that influences the rest of their lives.”

This is a particular problem in Cambridge, said Bryce, because going out at night is “seen as a complete blockage to any academic achievement”. The university has little appetite for promoting nightlife, and Bryce said some of his student supporters have been threatened with disciplinary action by the university for handing out tickets and advertisements for nightclubs in colleges. With this pressure, it is no surprise that fewer students are going out, and without this support, nightclubs are struggling.

Added to this, clubs are not experiencing the ‘summer of love’ they had expected after lockdown restrictions were eased. Attitudes towards nightspots remain fairly muted; Bryce told me about the days before the pandemic when 2000 people would turn up at Ballare (which has since closed) on a Wednesday night – something that seems unimaginable for Cambridge nightlife today.

In addition, the nightlife scene does not receive the support it needs from the city of Cambridge: “The city administration needs to be much more tolerant and also show understanding for our needs.”

But despite these challenges, Bryce remains optimistic about the future of the industry. According to him, the city council is changing and becoming more supportive of the nighttime industry. For example, the city council recently allowed downtown Taco Bell to extend its hours until 4 a.m., and Wendy’s, which is opening a restaurant downtown soon, was given permission to operate a takeout delivery window until 2 a.m.

And despite the difficult financial situation of Cambridge’s clubs, things are finally looking up. After Rekom UK, which owns Lola Lo’s and Vinyl, went bankrupt earlier this year, Lola Lo’s has been bought by local DJs who want to revive Cambridge’s nightlife.

“I think it’s going to be really good,” Bryce told me. “They’re going to put some new, unique things in there. They’re already making changes by paying huge commissions to student representatives and organizing new events (…) it’s going to be great.”

“Many students in Cambridge live near busy nightspots, which are already quite noisy – and there is no desire for the noise level to get any higher.”

But are these changes good for everyone? Many students in Cambridge live near busy nightspots, which are already quite noisy – and there’s no desire for noise levels to get any worse. One student told me: “I’d say the noise affected my quality of life, even when deciding where to live in second year. As nice as a night out is, the noise caused by drunk students partying or being loud can be quite annoying. One of my friends lived in an area where students would party every week, even during exam time, which affected not only her sleep but her studies too.”

Another said: “Having spent the last year living far too close to Cambridge students’ favourite cocktail bar, La Raza, I can say with some certainty that extending the opening hours of Cambridge’s nightspots would have a detrimental effect on my sleep patterns! While the street noise itself never keeps us awake – how loud can a couple of tipsy sophomores sharing a pack of cigarettes really be? The bass sound of La Raza is another matter entirely. The walls of my accommodation are known to shake slightly on particularly noisy nights – so at least I can usually take comfort in the fact that the noise stops in the early hours!”

A more dynamic nightlife may not sound appealing to everyone, but many in the industry believe that with careful management, improvements can be made without detriment to students living nearby.

For many, Cambridge nightlife is more than just an industry: it’s their livelihood, their passion and, for students, a time to live freely and enjoy themselves. Part of the student experience is exploring new-found freedom and nightlife is a big part of that. While a Wednesday night out might not be so conducive to your work schedule the next morning, there’s more to university life than just studying, even at Cambridge. With the industry facing unprecedented economic and regulatory challenges, it’s important that we help keep this important industry and culture alive, with all the benefits it can bring.