Having to prove vaccination status before entering a UK nightclub from the end of September has been branded a form of ‘discrimination’ by a Clapham venue owner.
Co-owner Ashley Letchford opened the re-branded Lit club in Clapham on Freedom Day following the forced 16 month closure of his venue.
Housed in between two railway arches, Lit is a late night venue filled with lasers, light shows and dancers.
Having traded previously as Fu Manchu club for six years, Mr Letchford, friend Daniel O’Reilly, known as Dapper Laughs, and Flex FM gave the venue a new brand and relaunched after lockdown.
The club is open on Friday and Saturday nights – but Mr Letchford is not looking forward to when they will have to ask venue go-ers for vaccine passports.
He says his clientele might not be fully vaccinated because of their age, and doesn’t agree with them being discriminated against as a result.
Mr Letchford said: “Of course we respect the Government’s guidance and are in no way going to flout the law but I think there is a lot of misunderstanding as a result of the constant flow of changing information.
“We’re getting a lot of people asking if they have to show vaccine certification to come visit us now, and people not knowing when the different rules come into effect is a challenge in itself.
“We will ask for certification when the rules say we have to but we don’t agree with it and do call on the Government to look at alternatives to what is effectively discrimination.
“Our clientele are not yet double jabbed because of their age and those who are because they are older, our venue doesn’t appeal to.
“Coercing people into getting medical treatment isn’t morally right.”
Mr Letchford added that he does not understand why people can’t be tested before going into a club in the same way as they might to go on an aeroplane.
He said: “It’s the same as getting onto an airtight plane which you don’t have to prove you have been vaccinated for.
“There’s going to be a rebellious approach to this and if people are coerced into getting two jabs they’re more likely to rebel against the system because of their nature.
“It’s another challenge we have to overcome and now I’m actually seasoned to all the back and forward changes.
“It’s made me mentally stronger and is a real test to my entrepreneurial spirit.”
Mr Letchford added: “I wouldn’t say I have a positive attitude towards the reopening clubs – I’m more just emotionless and trying to get my business to survive the best it can.
“I am more confident with the decline in the rates at the moment and hopefully that means we can all get back to normal and that vaccine passports won’t even need to be a thing.”
The bar and club is open on Fridays and Saturdays until 3am – with an additional Thursday night opening for events as well.
The tunes – brought in partnership with Flex FM - are predominantly of the house genre, with some commercial garage in the mix too.
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