The new partner at a Dundee bar – set to reopen this summer – says he wants to breathe life into the city’s “decimated” hospitality industry.
Sean Bennett, who also runs Captain’s Cabin, believes the revived Clark’s on Lindsay Street will appeal to a crowd that has not “fully resurfaced” since the pandemic.
He believes it is the “right time” to relaunch the live music venue despite the challenges facing the industry.
Clark’s owner Scott Clark – who was forced to close his business in March 2020 due to Covid – revealed plans for its comeback last week.
Dundee’s nightlife ‘seems to be getting weaker’
Sean, 30, said: “We have been through an absolutely wild rollercoaster since Covid hit and at times it still feels like that.
“There is always a new challenge or difficulty facing the industry, whether that is legislation from government, councils, or the cost of living crisis.
“Covid has decimated the industry and decimated the city’s nightlife and it seems to be getting weaker.
“We are hoping that turns around and we can get more support, but who knows what the future holds?
“I have lot of friends in the industry and a lot of people are at breaking point.
“The government and councils need to step in to see what can be done to help it recover, or we could see a mass closure of venues.”
He says a series of sell-out events he helped Scott put on at Captain’s Cabin last November proved there is an appetite for live music in Dundee.
Asked what challenges pubs and clubs are facing, Sean said: “There are so many factors: the cost of physically running, the staffing costs and the staffing availability.
“And people don’t have the expendable cash that they used to have so their priorities wouldn’t be to have nights out – it is to pay their electricity and their food bills.
“There are also cultural changes from Covid which mean people are drinking at home a lot more and not socialising as much as they used to.”
A number of Dundee venues have shut in recent months due to the current climate including restaurants Bellini and Tonic, and bar The Caird.
Alternative space for live music
Despite the difficult climate, Sean believes Clark’s can fill a gap in the market for people who want to socialise late but are not interested in clubbing.
He said: “It will be an alternative space for live music, which is what Clark’s was famous and loved for, and also a late space that people can come to that maybe don’t want to go to nightclubs.
“Hopefully what we can do is sort of coax people back out of their houses.
“Our product is a bit more mature and we are aiming it the 21 to 25-plus crowds.
“We will hopefully get a crowd that hasn’t really resurfaced since Covid.”
The news of Clark’s relaunch has been welcomed by hundreds of customers on social media.
Sean added: “We’re really excited, there seems to be a really good buzz, my phone has not stopped.
“We put a post up about it and it got 1,300 ‘likes’ in the space of two or three hours, so it just absolutely exploded.”
