NCJ Number
224339
Date Published
July 2008
Length
19 pages
Annotation
Drawn from an ethnographic investigation of Central London’s contemporary nightclub scene, this paper maps previously obscure elements of private security and the wider network of “nodes” (institutional actors) that govern Britain’s night-time economy (NTE).
Abstract
The study indicates that in certain settings, the private security employed by nightclubs operates to exclude not only those judged to threaten or otherwise disrupt the orderly and profitable consumption of the club’s services, but also to ensure the admission of enthusiastic consumers with money to spend. This means that the NTE is governed by private security designed to give priority admission to a wealthy few. This trend is fueled by patrons who seek to enhance their social status by becoming accepted patrons of exclusive nightlife “brands”; club-land entrepreneurs who are motivated to build and protect the most profitable and prestigious clubs; and administrative, policing, and regulatory agencies that pressure late-night clubs to be responsible for reducing crime under the threat of losing their licenses. This study used sustained periods of participants observation in nightclub settings, together with interviews with nightclub operators, private security personnel, police officers, local government officials, and magistrates. It also draws on insight from the author’s role as expert witness to the licensing courts. This afforded him access to settings in which regulatory mandates were devised, contested, and adjudicated. 55 references