Dubliners have a negative view of nightlife in the city with 73% rating it as either somewhat or very poor.
That’s according to a new ‘Your Dublin Your Voice’ survey from Dublin City Council.
Of the 1,184 respondents, only 13% selected it in their top 3 European cities for nightlife, putting it mid-table between Madrid and Prague. This rated Dublin significantly behind Berlin at 56%, London at 40% and Amsterdam at 38%, which were the most commonly selected.
Cost was the main barrier to enjoying a night out in Dublin with 41% saying that it was too expensive to go out in Dublin at night. Infrequent transport options also emerged as an issue.
The survey, conducted pre COVID-19, asked Dubliners about their engagement in a variety of activities at different time slots between 6 pm and 6 am. It found that early evening was the only time when there was widespread activity. The majority indicated that they shop, eat out, go to cafes and exercise between 6 pm and 9 pm. After 9 pm activity narrows to the pub while after midnight, it becomes confined mainly to dance clubs. However, with the exception of music related options there appears to be little demand for other activities after midnight.
There is also support for a Night Time Manager, someone to coordinate nightlife and culture in Dublin, with 70% somewhat or strongly in favour.
Commenting on the results, Juliet Passmore, economist at Dublin City Council said:
“While priorities following COVID-19 will have changed, the re-opening of the city offers an opportunity to innovate and improve on what was available in the evening or at night in Dublin. Previous engagement patterns, highlighted in the survey, suggest that there was strong demand for activities up to 9 pm.”
The survey was carried out between 13th February and 21st February 2020, pre-COVID-19, and attracted 1,184 respondents from across Dublin.
Your Dublin, Your Voice is a Dublin City Council opinion panel which has been in existence since October 2010. Anyone over 18 can sign up at http://bit.ly/ydyvreg and give their opinions on a variety of topics relating to the capital.
