The club announced a new bring-your-own policy earlier this month in an effort to bring more punters in
The team behind XLR said it was ‘very important that anyone can come to a club'(Image: XLR)
A nightclub and music venue will continue with its new ‘bring your own booze’ policy — despite Greater Manchester Police’s ‘grave concerns’.
XLR, in student heartland Withington, hit the headlines earlier this month by announcing plans to allow revellers take their own alcohol inside. Owner Chris Hindle said he dreamt up the idea because he believes clubs have ‘become very corporate, very money grab’.
However, before XLR’s first BYOB night on September 19, Greater Manchester Police and Manchester council attempted to block XLR’s bid to open for an extra hour for special events in freshers’ week.
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Cops said they held ‘grave concerns regarding this new model’, adding: “The processes for safely managing the consumption of alcohol appear weak and as yet are untested.”
On Wednesday (September 24), XLR withdrew the applications for 3am opening on September 27 and October 4, but confirmed the BYOB policy will remain in place.
Chris Hindle said police and council officers ‘were happy with how we operated’ during a visit on Saturday (September 20).
“We’ve done three so far — last Friday and Saturday, and last night (Tuesday, September 23),” Chris told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
XLR in Manchester is rebranding with a new ‘UK first’ concept(Image: XLR)
“No one was bringing in anything stupid. Even the police said that. They expected people to have copious amounts of alcohol, but they did not.
“People are respecting it. People are having a good time.”
Punters have to meet strict conditions to take advantage of the policy, like not bringing in glass bottles and leaving the venue to buy more drinks. They also have to dispose of any remaining booze at home-time.
Anyone bringing in ‘excessive’ amounts of alcohol ‘would be asked to go or refused entry’, Chris added. XLR recommends ravers bring eight cans or a 70CL of spirits for a night out, and the most popular choice thus far have been cans of beer and hard seltzers.
Chris went on: “Customers are really enjoying it. Everyone has said it’s a good concept. A lot of people said thank you, they have been stressing how much money they spend on nights out.”
Initial signs are good for the venue. While the bar’s turnover has taken a hit, Chris said profits are ‘the same, if not more’, as the cost of buying liquor wholesale has dropped.
XLR now makes more money on ticket prices, with a typical entry fee jumping from £3 to £7 last year to £10 to £20 now.
It will operate the BYOB policy until its usual 2am closing time, after ‘agreeing’ with police and the council that ‘it’s better to give it time to settle down’, Chris explained.