Major nightclub closures: is Auckland’s nightlife dying?

Four major Auckland nightclubs have closed in the past year, prompting concerns about the causes and impacts of this for both businesses and the city itself.

“We had been fighting so hard to make what we were doing better, despite all the headwinds, however, yesterday those winds blew us over,” one post reads from clubs Roxy’s and Everybody's.

In February, the two nightclubs closed their doors permanently, their Instagram announcement attributed the closure to “tough trading”, citing pandemic related struggles, depopulation, increased violence, the effects of Cyclone Gabrielle and the cost-of-living crisis as the main factors.

The nightclub and bar scene faced restrictions like lockdowns, seating rules, vaccinations, and masks, all impacting business.

Despite Covid mandates ending in 2022, some still grappled with the aftermath of last year's Auckland floods.

“It’s always sad to see businesses close," says Viv Beck, chief executive of Heart of the City, the Auckland City centre business association, in a statement to Te Waha Nui.

"The last few years, with the impacts of covid and long-term construction in the city centre, have put tremendous pressure on street-trading businesses and on top of this, the cost of living is biting with people watching their spending,” she said.

The recent closures also come after two major Britomart clubs, Saturdays and AV Club, announcing their closure last year in August on Instagram.

Artist and event coordinator at Mothership Nightclub Lewis Ireland believes the nightlife scene is still in recovery mode.

“It is still at a low point, ever since Covid it seems we have been at this point, and the more it goes on, the more it looks like an unfortunate reality," he says.

Ireland believes that the cost-of-living is fuelling this low point, saying what once was considered part of routine, is now a huge expense for many.

“I sympathise with them, not everyone has the money to pay for an Uber, entry, or drinks, I get it, but unfortunately it’s money that our businesses do rely on to survive," he says.

‘“Heart of the City wants to see a vibrant nighttime in the city centre and nightclubs are an important part of the overall experience,” she says.