Thursday, August 03, 2006

A few quiet nights in

Crisis! Yesterday the police served temporary shutdown orders to all the major night clubs in Apia. So for the time being, Bad Billy's, Crabbers, Lighthouse, Paddles and RSA night clubs are all shut. Apparently Police have been frustrated by the clubs not meeting their obligations. These include keeping a lid on fights, foul language in public and, in particular, shutting up shop in a very timely fashion on the stroke of midnight.

It was suggested yesterday that in spite of the fact that not all clubs were breaking the rules, the police had decided to shut every single one, on the grounds of "fairness". I wouldn't know about fair but it's true at least that every club is suffering as much as the others.

So how long will the shutdown last? No one's entirely sure yet. One night club owner told me that the order was stated as being "indefinite" but there has already been talk that the clubs will be up and running as per usual tonight. We'll have to wait and see.

In the meantime, patrons will probably just buy cases of beer and sit themselves on the sea wall across from the clubs. There, outside of a controlled club environment, they'll be able to get as drunk as they like, get into as many fights as they wish and not have to go home at midnight. As for me, I think a couple of quiet nights in are in order. (Yeah, right!)

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