The nightclub market - France

1.1 Definition and scope of study

In France, a discotheque is defined as a drinking establishment whose main activity is the operation of a dance floor. More commonly, the term is used to designate a private music and dance venue, generally open at night and reserved for people of legal age.

There are three different types of discotheque. Large nightclubs are characterized by a capacity of over a thousand people, and are the least numerous. Medium-sized nightclubs (200 to 1,000 places) are more common and can offer different music, rooms and atmospheres to diversify their clientele. Smaller nightclubs prefer to target their clientele more precisely, in particular by offering a niche musical style.

In addition to the difficulties caused by the health crisis, the French nightclub market is also experiencing other difficulties. Before the start of the Covid-19 crisis, the number of nightclubs in France had already fallen by 70% since the 1980s.

While discotheques in major conurbations or student cities such as Paris, Lyon, Rennes or Toulouse were not yet experiencing health problems, the situation for the rest of the country's discotheques would be much worse.while nightclubs in major cities and student towns such as Paris, Lyon, Rennes and Toulouse were not yet experiencing health problems, the situation for nightclubs in rural areas was already critical before 2020, with the last establishments closing in some departments, such as Cantal.

Some owners were already noting a change in customer habits, as they were more attracted to events, which led some nightclubs to transform into concert halls to satisfy the new demand.

In France, the Covid-19 crisis was accompanied by a 15-month closure of nightclubs, with a low rate of opening in July 2021, due in particular to a health protocol deemed too strict by many players.

The extensive closure has also prompted many players in the sector to change career paths, ultimately resulting in a shortage of staff.