A Manchester nightclub that introduced a no mobile phone policy has issued a renewed pledge for people to be mindful of the rules.
Amber’s, a 1,000 capacity venue on Oxford Road, opened earlier this year, with a ban on filming inside the venue in order to “protect the vibe” and encourage guests to focus on the music. Attendees are given a sticker to put over their phone camera when they enter the club. But as bigger DJs have been booked, the venue said they’ve observed videos of their sets appearing on TikTok.
“Since our launch back in December, we have made it very clear that we are a No Phones venue. We want to create an experience for everyone where they are present in the moment and not distracted by phones,” Amber posted on Instagram
It continued: “While the majority of people that attend Amber’s keep their phones away, there a select few that don’t. This is of course disappointing.”
The nightclub asked guests to “think about the space and the people around you” before removing stickers from their phone cameras.
“From now on, as a renewed pledge to our No Phones policy, if you are seen recording in the venue, you will be asked to leave, there will be no second chances.”
It added that there will be staff patrolling the venue to enforce this.
“Open your mind. Honour the concept. Respect the space,” the post concluded.
Co-founder Jeremy Abbott said that he recognises that people want to "capture the moment", however, the club's in-house media team will always film the night for people to rewatch if they want to.
He said "Ninety per cent of people who come to the club really do respect the rules but there's always going to be a select few who don't listen.
"We wanted to give this reminder, because we really do believe in this policy, and we do believe you'll have a better time without it.
"With Gen Z, people are born with their phones in their hands."
Amber is not the only nightclub that has issued a no phone rule, with venues everywhere from New York City to Athens introducing similar policies. It’s possible that these clubs are taking inspiration from Berlin venues, where phone-free venues are common.
90 per cent of venues have a no-phones-on-the-dancefloor code, Lutz Leichsenring, former spokesperson for Clubcommission Berlin and co-founder of VibeLab, told the BBC.
In September, Warehouse Project, another Manchester nightclub, introduced a similar rule for its Concourse Only shows.
“We will be asking everyone to keep their phones away and will be providing stickers upon entry,” the post read.
It continued: “On the larger shows, while not enforcing a strict no phones policy, we will be kindly asking everyone to respect those around them and limit their phone usage especially on the dancefloor.”
