[Ad] Gaming, gigs, and going out—how Telford’s entertainment mix is changing
The dynamic of entertainment has shifted massively over the last decade and a half. There was a time when town centres and city nightlife were bustling with activity, featuring packed pubs, bars, restaurants, and comedy clubs.
Although there are many factors that can impact this, rather than a simple case of people choosing to stay in on the weekend, global factors and developments in entertainment have transformed the way people in Telford, as well as the rest of the UK, relax during their downtime.
Digital entertainment and casino gaming
A decade and a half ago, the idea that staying in on the weekend would be just as exciting as hitting the town would have been a pretty hard sell to plenty of people in Telford. However, in the modern market, the rise of virtual entertainment, console games, online casinos, and live streaming of concerts, and the proliferation of food delivery apps, have significantly expanded the options available to people who choose to stay in.
Casino gaming has gone from a fairly local activity to a global enterprise. In fact, those in Telford who wanted to sit down and play at a fully functioning casino with a range of games would have to take a trip to Birmingham, rather than the smaller, slot-driven gaming branches dotted around the town.
Online casinos have created a new market dynamic, allowing bettors to access hundreds of games from the comfort of their own homes. Since the UK is one of the global leaders when it comes to casino gaming and regulation, the rise of fast withdrawal casinos in UK has been able to draw on some of the most cutting-edge elements of game design—fusing it with landmark regulation and creating an experience that many people prefer over taking the time to travel to a physical location.
Virtual gigs
Although older generations in Telford are more likely to head out to the pub than younger generations, recent expansions to pub gardens in the town have highlighted there’s still a demand for those establishments that can cater to this demand.
Despite virtual gigs becoming a significantly larger market over the last few years—with more DJs and live streamers providing ways for people to enjoy gigs without leaving their homes—there’s still a demand, especially among Gen Z, to attend live concerts. This is despite them often being labelled as being more boring or risk-averse than Millennials or Boomers.
Obviously, tarring any group of people solely based on their age is a slippery slope. However, the rise of technology, which has changed every aspect of our lives and led to the emergence of social media, has altered some of the more traditional elements of going out.
Instead of checking out a band or a show in town, the alternative is to stay in and watch some of the world’s most renowned or revered artists, all from a smartphone or a laptop. It’s a complicated thing to compete against as a small town.
Before the Internet, people in Telford would travel to Birmingham to attend big concerts, have a big night out or host social gatherings. In many ways, the distraction of other entertainment markets remains; it’s just that it has become more digital.
Adapting to the times
For all the advances that the digital world has brought to us, it still fails to address some of the key social needs we have as humans. The camaraderie that can come from sitting around and talking with groups of friends and family remains unchanged.
Some people want to drink less alcohol, and given how the price of things has risen dramatically over the last few years, there’s a greater demand for people who are looking to socialise without having to worry about the price of a pint.
The rise of zero per cent alcohols and pubs becoming broader entertainment venues is another change that the entertainment world has had to contend with since the start of this decade. Nowadays, pubs offer a variety of entertainment options.
For instance, they’ll offer board game nights to combat the growing number of people who now prefer to stay in on the weekend and play them rather than go out. They also offer alcohol-free quiz nights, acting as community support hubs in an effort to attract as many people as possible and maintain a steady income.
Summary
As is the case throughout the UK, especially in small towns, the real challenge has been competing against the rise of digital entertainment. The rise of online casinos and virtual reality, which aims to mimic real-life experiences, has taken a toll on traditional forms of entertainment such as clubbing, gigs, and beer gardens.
Traditional venues and forms of entertainment are unlikely to disappear; that’s not going to happen anytime soon. However, it’s crucial that venues in Telford can adapt to this new demand and ensure the entertainment mix they offer is tailored to current consumer demand.
