Young revellers head to party spots across the city as Adelaide’s night life returns after COVID-19 lockdown
Drinking while dancing is still on the banned list but young partygoers made the most of Adelaide’s re-emerging night scene at clubs across the city on Friday night. SEE THE PHOTOS.
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Confusion over coronavirus rules reigned supreme on Friday night as nightclubs began to open again this weekend across Adelaide, but it didn’t matter much to those who ventured out- they were just happy to finally be out of the house.
It’s been more than three months since much of Adelaide’s night-life was shutdown due to COVID-19 restrictions with the normally bustling party strip Hindley Street being a relative ghost town on Saturday and Friday nights since the end of March.
That is slowly starting to change.
While venues might not have been at peak capacity, and clubs are still prohibited from allowing patrons to dance and drink at the same time, those revellers who did venture into the city, made the most of their new-found freedoms.
“It’s been three months since we’ve been out together so we’re heading to Red Square,” said Monique Wilhelm who was out partying with friends Brianna Savage and Holly Blaser.
“It just seems like the place to be. There’s heaps of people we know there, heaps of good music.”
They weren’t the only ones. At 9pm on Friday night, even before doors were open, the line up to get in to Red Square went around the corner with many desperate to be one of the few let inside with the club running at half capacity. It was a similar story down the road at the Dog And Duck.
“We’re still not sure what the rules are, apparently you can’t drink and dance so we’re not sure how that is going to work, but we’ll see when we get in there,” Ms Wilhelm said.
As for social distance- that seemed to be a thing of the past.
“We’ve got no cases here in South Australia so we’ve got nothing to worry about,” said Marco Lorenzo who was also heading to Red Square with his mate Nepia Thomas.
Around the corner on Leigh Street, rules were a little clearer. Signs at Cassa Bla Bla, which was already turning patrons away after 10pm due to being a full capacity, were warning patrons: “sorry current restrictions prohibit dancing”
Not that it mattered much to DJ Smiley who was happy to be back behind the decks again. Or to Grace Bresolin who was out on a night with the girls.
“This is literally the first girls night we’ve had all together in three months,” she said.
“I think there’s actually a great atmosphere around tonight, people are just so happy to be able to see each other again. I think it’s important for the city not only for everyone working and the economy but also for everyone’s wellbeing.”
Police were out in force on Friday night attending nightclubs in the CBD, Glenelg, Henley Beach and the southern suburbs and say that in general nightclubs and licensed premises were compliant.
“Some minor breaches of the directions were detected and education was provided to these venues. Police will continue to monitor these venues throughout the weekend and future peak times,” a SAPOL spokesperson said.
