PEOPLE’s expectations of night time entertainment have shifted away from clubbing, a nightclub owner has claimed.

Putting his popular Southend nightclubs on the market, Dick de Vigne said people no longer necessarily want to go clubbing on a night out resulting in him considering stepping away from the industry.

Dick de Vigne’s has been one of the town’s go-to venues for revellers since it opened 15 years ago.

Former DJ Dick de Vigne, who also owns Chameleon, in Lucy Road, described himself as “at a crossroads” and is weighing up options by putting both clubs on the market. Neither have an asking price listed.

He recently sold his third nightclub, Box, in March this year for an undisclosed sum.

The 72-year-old said: “We put them on the market because we’re at a bit of a crossroads whether to carry on with it.

“The nightclub scene in Southend has taken a big fall in recent years and we are looking at our options by seeing if there is any interest in buying the clubs.”The businessman said a number of factors had led to the decline in nightclubs in recent years.He said: “It’s a combination of reasons really.

“The world has changed and not as many people want to go out to nightclubs as much anymore.

“People like pre-drinking at home and want to stay in and some parents won’t let their kids go out at night anymore because of violence in the town and it all has an impact.”

Martin Terry, councillor for community safety said: “Dick de Vigne has been around for donkey’s years – I remember going to his clubs when I was younger.

“But I think the culture has shifted away from that kind of nightlife to a certain extent.

“There are a lot of venues doing live music now which I know is appealing to a lot of people.”

Festival Leisure Park in Basildon has recently seen a shift away from the alcohol-fuelled clubbing scene with the conversion of Chicago’s nightclub into a new crazy golf venue.

Matthew Chambers, Centre Manager of Festival Leisure Park said: “Throughout the past decade, we’ve successfully transitioned Festival Leisure Park into a family friendly destination, with popular venues including Cineworld, Hollywood Bowl and Sprinkles appealing to all ages.

“We’ve also introduced a range of free events for all the family to enjoy.

“These include welcoming Superheroes and Villains to the park, popular children’s characters and seasonal events such as Halloween.

“Our night-time offering is second to none, with Unit 7 hosting some of the top DJs in the country.

“We’re now looking forward to welcoming Mr Mulligans to the park this July – offering bundles of golfing fun for visitors of all ages.”