How Worthing's night clubs will get back to business

Jon Cassell is masterminding a busy club programme for Worthing this autumn and winter through Worthing’s atom promotions.
Jon CassellJon Cassell
Jon Cassell

Jon, as atom’s events and promotions manager, suspects it might be tougher to get the over-30s back into clubs generally, but he is not anticipating any difficulties with the 18-24 age bracket who will be “desperate” to return.

Events lined up so far include: Sept 3, Judge Jules, Factory LIVE; Sept 24, Norman Jay, Factory LIVE; Oct 1, James Zabiela, Factory LIVE; Oct 10, Krafty Kuts, Factory LIVE; Oct 28, Andy C, Jungle; Dec 4, Deptford Northern Soul Club, Factory LIVE; and Dec 11, Dan Shake, Factory LIVE.

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It will be a welcome boost on the horizon at a time which has been desperately tough for clubs everywhere.

“I guess it will depend how successful the clubs have been in getting money through the Arts Council relief fund, and we know a lot of the bigger venues have managed to, but I am sure there are venues that didn’t manage to get the funding.

“But I do think the good ones will survive and the ones that have not been run so well will disappear. I do think the market will shrink. It is the survival of the fittest. There are a limited number of venues in Worthing and I know Brighton well, and I haven’t heard of any venues closing down, but I am sure there will be UK wide. I just can’t see them all surviving.”

As for the club-goers, their return will be along age lines, Jon believes: “If you look at the people aged 18 to 24, they will come back no problem at all. People aged 18 to 24 have been told all along that they are not high risk. That has always been the general line. When you are younger, the more carefree you are, but they have been told all the time that they are low risk, and I do think they will go back.”

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People 30-plus, it’s not so obvious: “I think they have got healthy, they have detoxed, they have taken up new hobbies, and they might think that they don’t want to go back to night clubs. I think it will be tougher generally. You see them more out, walking, getting healthy, doing things like that.

“Obviously if you are someone that really cares about the music, then I don’t think it is going to affect you, but otherwise I do think if you are older there is going to be a bit of a dip (in club attendance).

“From my point of view I think you have got to target the people in that age group because five years down the line the people in the 18-24 age group will be nearly 30 anyway and the problem will disappear. I just think the 18-24 market will be fine because they have been told so much that they are low risk.

“Our understanding is that things should be back to normal by September. We are not selling the events as social distancing, though obviously it will depend on the various criteria being met for each phase. It will depend on the vaccine continuing to go well and there not being any slippage.”

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It has all been a question of being adaptable. All the events Jon is now confirming should have happened a year ago. They are all on their third date.

“And I just think we are at a stage now where the easing of lockdown just can’t come soon enough. As a nation we all need it in terms of our mental health.

“I do a lot of sport and I wasn’t been able to do it. I need it for my mental health. For me sport is really important, and that’s what we need. But it is also the simple things like being able to sit in a coffee shop for 20 minutes by yourself, like being able to sit in a pub and talk about the football with your friends.

“And it feels to me like if this had gone on any longer, we would have been reaching breaking point. I found the first and second lockdowns were alright, but this third one was really difficult.”