The desire and likelihood for a nightclub or pub at Metrotown
What’s the likelihood or feasibility of Burnaby residents getting a nightclub or pub in or around Metrotown?
Earlier this week, some Burnaby residents proclaimed that the area needs a nightclub or a community pub — a late-night spot for the community to hang out.
While there are obviously many booze-serving establishments in and around the Metrotown area, like Cactus Club and Earls, a liquor primary haunt, like a community pub or club for folks to gather, is notably absent in the vicinity of the mall.
The benefit of living in or around Metrotown is that getting to downtown Vancouver, where there are clubs and late-night hangout spots, is easy thanks to transit.
However, based on the discussion, some Burnaby residents don’t want to have to go all the way out to downtown Vancouver.
“What the city is missing is a place for [us] to hang out. A place locally to have some fun instead of having to transit all the way to downtown,” the original poster said, adding, “Imagine a place so epic like this, would bring together the community for sure.”
It wasn’t always a nightlife ghost town. Some folks brought up an establishment that had closed down in 2009, replaced by condos, called Connections, which was located in the Station Square area. So, the idea isn’t without precedent.
“I’d like a nice pub just to have some drinks, shoot some pool, have some fun. Surely there’s room for more pubs and nightclubs because we have next to nothing currently,” another Burnaby resident said.
Most residents who joined the discussion said they’d prefer a pub, as nightclubs can get too loud and unruly.
So, why can’t Burnaby have some fun too? Why isn’t there a nightclub or pub in the Metrotown area? The answer to that question is pretty straightforward: no one is applying for a liquor primary licence.
We asked the City of Burnaby about the community’s desire for something like a pub and nightclub. A City of Burnaby rep told Daily Hive, “We took a look back in our records and we don’t see any liquor primary applications for Metrotown dating back to 2019.”
“The City permits both liquor and food primary establishments in our commercial districts. A business would just need to apply for the proper license using our established process,” they added.
So, there’s clearly a pathway for the right business person. However, the current state of the hospitality industry in B.C. doesn’t provide much hope.
The B.C. hospitality sector is seeing major struggles, and in some areas, it’s the worst in Canada. According to a recent study from Angus Reid in collaboration with POS provider Silverware, 32 per cent of operators in B.C. say staff shortages have impacted their business in the last year, the highest in Canada.
Still, logistically speaking, it’s possible.
If you’re a resident of Burnaby or another Metro Vancouver city lacking nightlife spaces, how do you feel about the idea?