A new nightclub in Manchester is set to pave the way for the rest of the city’s clubbing scene with ones of its house rules: no phones allowed.

Amber Club is adopting the same policy as famous London nightclub Fabric, which has had the same rule since 2021. Further afield, phone bans are common in Europe – 90% of nightclubs in Berlin ban mobile phones, for example.

It’s not just club owners supporting this concept, with artists like Smokin Jo suggesting fellow DJs have phone-free events written into their contracts as they want to see people dancing and engaging with the music, rather than staring into a sea of smartphones.

Amber’s move is to help put the music and experience front and centre. It’s also a way of ensuring privacy for partygoers. After all, not everyone wants to see embarrassing drunk photos on a random Instagram post the next day!

The reception so far has been positive, with one attendee declaring it makes for a better vibe, with more people engaging with the DJ and their shared passion.

Reaction to the coverage by the BBC was clearly in support of the mobile phone bans, with top-rated comments encouraging further use of phone bans at music gigs, concerts and even gyms. Not only do people want to be more “in the moment”, the sentiment is that people are also increasingly concerned about their personal privacy.

Amber’s director Jeremy Abbott has been “blown away” by the response. So perhaps this club’s experiment will encourage others to get phones off the dancefloor, and people’s minds back onto the music.

In other sectors, phone-free experiences have gathered momentum across the globe. Famous names include Bob Dylan, John Mayer, Madonna, Beyonce, and Adele, as well comedians including Dave Chapelle and Kevin Hart. Meanwhile, we’re helping schools across the UK improve engagement in the classroom, and their schoolmates with our patented lockable phone pouches.

Improve the atmosphere and experience by using the Phone Locker ® mobile phone pouch, with a magnetic lock controlled by the venue ensuring phones can’t be used, but stay in possession of the phone’s owner.

See how it works in our demonstration video, or get in touch for a quotation for your venue or event.