On Sunday, March 30, two people were injured during an incident at Tabu nightclub in Mayfair.
According to The Metro, “men refused entry to an upmarket nightclub allegedly tried to storm it ‘armed with machetes’ last night.”
“Police arrested one man at the scene, and later detained three more individuals in Hertfordshire that same night,” The Metro reported.
Safety has become a significant concern in relation to nightlife participation.
According to The Night Time Industries Association’s (NTIA) 2025 study, based on a survey of 2,001 respondents aged 18-30, safety concerns were listed as one of the “key barriers”.
With safety concerns rising, nightclub owners are under increasing pressure to implement comprehensive safety measures.
Michael Dawson (pictured), account executive at NDML, believes nightclubs are now more responsible than ever for the safety of their clients.
Dawson discussed several ways that nightclub owners can mitigate risks and maintain a secure environment: “Weapon screening in high risk areas, metal detectors, bricking, and stuff like that. Fire safety compliance: Making sure your fire risk assessment is up to date, due diligence checks on your fire extinguishers, regular maintenance on your alarms. Staff training is also essential – that your staff are constantly trained in identifying vulnerable people.”
While safety concerns are paramount, nightclubs also need to address other risks. One of the most common issues they face is public liability, particularly related to slips and trips.
As Dawson points out, such incidents are frequent in nightclub environments, where low lighting, drink spillages, and crowded spaces increase the likelihood of accidents: “[Slip and trips] are what we call high frequency, low severity claims.. we've seen an increase of these, no win, no fee type claims. So that's one of the biggest risks,” Dawson explained.
Another significant risk for nightclubs is business interruption. Dawson highlighted how unforeseen events, such as power outages or nearby incidents, can lead to financial losses: “Business interruption cover is essential for any business… if a nightclub had loss of power for like, four hours, that would ruin the whole night… public utilities cover for loss of power, denial of access, if there was a murder or an incident where the police cordoned off the street and the public didn't have access to the venue… employer business interruption is absolutely essential.”
In addition to core policies, nightclub owners should consider additional coverage for their venues.
As new risks continue to emerge, such as cyber threats and terrorism, Dawson advises nightclub owners to stay ahead of the curve.
He explains that terrorism cover is increasingly important, particularly with new government legislation: “Terrorism cover, right? There's a white paper going through at the moment. Martin's law, so basically that's incumbent on all public spaces to have their own terrorism risk assessment.”
Another growing concern is cyber threats. As more nightclubs conduct business online, such as ticket sales, Dawson stresses the need for cyber insurance: “Cyber insurance, that's a big up and coming thing. You know, does the nightclub sell tickets directly from the website?”
Nightclub owners must also be mindful of legal and employment-related risks. Dawson elaborates on the need for comprehensive legal coverage: “Obviously, legal expenses cover and management liability, which includes directors and officers coverage. Management liability, which includes employment practices liability. The majority of night clubs, do have systems in place... But again, the EPL cover covers for employment tribunals, defence costs and awards cost [is necessary].”
For brokers and nightclub owners, conducting due diligence is critical to ensuring that the right coverage is in place.
Dawson emphasises the importance of understanding a nightclub’s financial standing before finalising any policy: “Do due diligence checks, because hospitality tends to have lots of adverse financials, it's just the way it's always been. So it's really important that those are disclosed, identified prior to conclusion of the contract and inception of the policy.”
Dawson also believes that, given the specific nature of nightclub policies, brokers must guide their clients through the finer details of their coverage: “The devil's always in the detail, and that's why you need a good broker to talk you through the warranties and talk you through the exclusions and to make sure you can comply with them.”
