There is nowhere left in Cork for people under the age of 21!

CaoimheCweeva

What has gotten into the city??

When I first came to Cork places I could go out to were :
The Roxy
Freakscene (I know, it was part of the Roxy, but still)
Cubins
The Savoy
The Brog
Eclipse
Havanas

and some pubs that had a dj


Now, Freakscene is gone, The Roxy has seemingly disappeared - their facebook page hasn't been used since September, and I messaged them in October (to both fb pages!) and nothing. Cubins is gone, which I don't mind, the Savoy is full of 18 year olds who can't handle their drink and is just terrible, The Brog is over 21's for some stupid reason, Eclipse is only open fridays and saturdays and I think is over 19's - it was last time I was going to go there. Never been to Havanas but have only heard bad things. I know the Bailey is 21's on a saturday but not sure what their story is on a thursday.

And even with all these new places opening up - The Holy Cow, The Hanover, The Courtyard, Voodoo Rooms - they are ALL over 21's or 23's!

I really would like to know why this is. I'm 20, 21 soon, but my boyfriend is only turning 20 in a couple of weeks and trying to find somewhere to go out is next to impossible. It seems the savoy is the only option during the week, and you can forget about it on the weekend.

SusieBlue

CaoimheCweeva wrote: »

What has gotten into the city??

When I first came to Cork places I could go out to were :
The Roxy
Freakscene (I know, it was part of the Roxy, but still)
Cubins
The Savoy
The Brog
Eclipse
Havanas

and some pubs that had a dj


Now, Freakscene is gone, The Roxy has seemingly disappeared - their facebook page hasn't been used since September, and I messaged them in October (to both fb pages!) and nothing. Cubins is gone, which I don't mind, the Savoy is full of 18 year olds who can't handle their drink and is just terrible, The Brog is over 21's for some stupid reason, Eclipse is only open fridays and saturdays and I think is over 19's - it was last time I was going to go there. Never been to Havanas but have only heard bad things. I know the Bailey is 21's on a saturday but not sure what their story is on a thursday.

And even with all these new places opening up - The Holy Cow, The Hanover, The Courtyard, Voodoo Rooms - they are ALL over 21's or 23's!

I really would like to know why this is. I'm 20, 21 soon, but my boyfriend is only turning 20 in a couple of weeks and trying to find somewhere to go out is next to impossible. It seems the savoy is the only option during the week, and you can forget about it on the weekend.

As someone who has worked in many cork clubs and is still currently employed in one its simply because the younger crowd are too messy. They don't spend anything, they're for the most part already demented when they are on their way in and the only money the club makes is on the door. They fight more than an older crowd would and are just generally more hassle to cater to. With an older crowd, they have more disposable income, therefore spend more on drink, and are mostly easier to deal with than students.

Not saying this is fair or a correct way to do business, just for an economic point of view, older people are less hassle and spend more.

As someone who has worked in a student venue previously you couldn't pay me enough to go back to it. The abuse was unbelievable.

I heard Redz has been snapped up by a buyer so maybe that will be marketed to a younger crowd when it reopens. I agree that cork is lacking in venues for u21s though.

CaoimheCweeva

WhiteRoses wrote: »

As someone who has worked in many cork clubs and is still currently employed in one its simply because the younger crowd are too messy. They don't spend anything, they're for the most part already demented when they are on their way in and the only money the club makes is on the door. They fight more than an older crowd would and are just generally more hassle to cater to. With an older crowd, they have more disposable income, therefore spend more on drink, and are mostly easier to deal with than students.

Not saying this is fair or a correct way to do business, just for an economic point of view, older people are less hassle and spend more.

As someone who has worked in a student venue previously you couldn't pay me enough to go back to it. The abuse was unbelievable.

I heard Redz has been snapped up by a buyer so maybe that will be marketed to a younger crowd when it reopens. I agree that cork is lacking in venues for u21s though.

I completely understand that. A club isn't at all enjoyable when about 70% of the crowd there are already drunk from pre-drinking. But I find it's pretty obvious to tell, and maybe the bouncers should just be more strict in that sense. It's just completely ridiculous that a city that has an IT , a university , and a few PLC colleges doesn't have anywhere that properly caters for only 3rd level students. Also, being someone who was 19 while in secondary school, if I was in a secondary school in Cork now and the only time I could go out was the weekend, it would drive me absolutely insane. I'm so happy I didn't have this problem when I was 18/19 (I'm from Clare)

yenom

It's because the students get drunk and go to clubs and don't buy anything.

gimmick

From what I have seen over the years the "over 21s/23s" or whatever is pretty loose and is used to keep away gangs of 18 year olds from trying their luck. If you are 19-22 and going some place as a couple, or a small group most places who dont have a completely idiotic door policy (ie Soho) will leave ye in.

The Pav, for example, is supposedly over 23s. You would very often see people younger than that there.

jimgoose

Humph. There aren't many places for ageing rockers either. I keep getting stopped at clubs because folk think I'm either a detective or some young wan's father out looking for her!

Chazz Michael Michaels

jimgoose wrote: »

Humph. There aren't many places for ageing rockers either. I keep getting stopped at clubs because folk think I'm either a detective or some young wan's father out looking for her!

BDSM?

jimgoose

Chazz Michael Michaels wrote: »

BDSM?

Not really - more of a System-V man meself.

Max_Charger

CaoimheCweeva wrote: »

the Savoy is full of 18 year olds who can't handle their drink and is just terrible,.......


I really would like to know why this is.

You answered your own question

SusieBlue

Statistically, all the places with a strict door policy are doing very well despite the recession. Voodoo rooms, the bowery, Havanas and soho are packed every weekend. The problem with venues geared towards the younger crowd is that they disappear come summer time, heading back to their Home Counties or off on J1s. If you look back into the amount of places that have closed in the last few years, such as Gorbys, Cubins, bondi beach, Mangans, Liquid Lounge etc. they just weren't making enough money from students to sustain their business, particularly during the summer.

While where I work is marketed to an older crowd, the wouldn't refuse a decently dressed and well behaved 20-21year old, and I find most places aren't too strict so long as you arent a mess.

It's a shame savoy has gone the way it went because it was doing so well just after it reopened. I can see the Hanover lowering their age policy because they aren't doing well at all, too much competition from established clubs like Voodoo and Havanas.

Your only other option is to try the pubs, but I can see why you'd want the club option. There's a good market for a decent o18s venue at the weekend, seeing as there really is nowhere else to go.

Flesh Gorden

Strangely enough, I walked passed what was Bondi and noticed that a fresh screed was being laid, and I think the for let/sale sign might have been gone too.

I hated the place when it was open, but kind of curious to know what will be going in there.

Balmed Out

There has been a marked shift over the last 15 years though. When I would have been in college most pubs seemed geared to students with very few exceptions. We would never have gone into Reardons, scotts/ black bush (except tue nights), havanas, the bodhran, long valley and one or two others which had an older crowd. As I turned 21 more and more pubs became over 21s, then as I turned 23 more became over 23. Today most pubs seem to aim for the 25 to 35 market and the shoe is on the other foot.

Chazz Michael Michaels

Pitching to u21 makes no business sense. They have no money. Benny McCabe made his fortune selling booze to the older crowd, and his show keeps growing while all the old u21 joints have closed.

rob316

Flesh Gorden wrote: »

Strangely enough, I walked passed what was Bondi and noticed that a fresh screed was being laid, and I think the for let/sale sign might have been gone too.

I hated the place when it was open, but kind of curious to know what will be going in there.

Mercy Hospital bought it I think.

Faith

Balmed Out wrote: »

There has been a marked shift over the last 15 years though. When I would have been in college most pubs seemed geared to students with very few exceptions. We would never have gone into Reardons, scotts/ black bush (except tue nights), havanas, the bodhran, long valley and one or two others which had an older crowd. As I turned 21 more and more pubs became over 21s, then as I turned 23 more became over 23. Today most pubs seem to aim for the 25 to 35 market and the shoe is on the other foot.

Same. Anywhere I went when I was 17-19 is long closed (and it makes me feel really old to think about them ). Looking back, though, all of those places were complete dives too.

As has been said, most 21+ and 23+ Door policies are to keep large groups of messy drunk teenagers out. We started going to The Slate when I was about 19 and it had "Over 23s" on a sign on the door. As long as you go up in a small, non messy group, then you'll often be fine. Those places also don't typically want 18ths and 21sts happening there, which is another reason for the policy - it allows them to refuse such bookings without issue.

And of course, it's the 25+ crowd who spend all the money!

rob316

Quite frankly 18 year olds don't have a bob anymore. When I was 18 we all had jobs full time or part time, our parents on top of that had plenty of money to give us. Its just not there anymore. Redz, Bondai Beach, Mangans etc where all hit the hardest in the recession.

gobnaitolunacy

A ghost estate/derelict house and some Linden Village?

hufpc8w3adnk65

Happy days in club fx!

Loire

Faith wrote: »

Anywhere I went when I was 17-19 is long closed (and it makes me feel really old to think about them ). Looking back, though, all of those places were complete dives too.

Ahh the memories!

I remember my buddy and I used to stand in the bus shelter across the road from the Grand Parade Hotel and wait until Don (the bouncer with the beard) would take a toilet break before we'd leg it across the traffic and slip in the door!!! Once we'd ordered a beer we were there for the night

Loire

FTA69

As a former doorman in town I can safely say that admitting under 21s (or even 23s) is simply a load of hassle and will actually harm your business over time. The average spend of a student in a Cork weeknight is around a tenner. Coupled with that they preload on drink before they arrive at 11.30pm and proceed to wreck the gaff. Thus you're forking out for a late license (costs thousands), a full team of doorstaff to maintain control; all for a demographic with no customer loyalty, who spend very little and are generally badly behaved.

Coupled with this, having loads of them around will result in your business getting a reputation for being "full of kids" and thus the 25-35 demographic with money will go somewhere else. All you'll be left with are loads of under-21s who'll go anywhere which will take them.

At the end of the day, letting the odd few in will result in no hassle provided they're vetted at the door but gangs of kids is a sure-fire way to wreck your venue.

gimmick

Ya, its funny now that its mentioned, when I was 18, there was no shortage at all for our age group to go to. Any number of pubs, and a host of clubs as well. FFS, there were even pubs which we were too old for once we turned 18. Simpler times.

mikeym

When I was 20 Id go out 3 nights a week in the city

People seemed to have more money back then because of the tiger.


Those were the days

ofcork

WhiteRoses wrote: »

Statistically, all the places with a strict door policy are doing very well despite the recession. Voodoo rooms, the bowery, Havanas and soho are packed every weekend. The problem with venues geared towards the younger crowd is that they disappear come summer time, heading back to their Home Counties or off on J1s. If you look back into the amount of places that have closed in the last few years, such as Gorbys, Cubins, bondi beach, Mangans, Liquid Lounge etc. they just weren't making enough money from students to sustain their business, particularly during the summer.

While where I work is marketed to an older crowd, the wouldn't refuse a decently dressed and well behaved 20-21year old, and I find most places aren't too strict so long as you arent a mess.

It's a shame savoy has gone the way it went because it was doing so well just after it reopened. I can see the Hanover lowering their age policy because they aren't doing well at all, too much competition from established clubs like Voodoo and Havanas.

Your only other option is to try the pubs, but I can see why you'd want the club option. There's a good market for a decent o18s venue at the weekend, seeing as there really is nowhere else to go.

Soho is gone downhill in the last few months,they have definitely dropped their age limit.The other places you mentioned are busy but not packed out the door,people simply do not have the money anymore to pay pub/club prices for drink.