– There are no more people outside – E24

The place is run by Noho Norway, which among other things has several of the biggest nightclubs in Oslo. Among them are Kulturhuset, Prindsens Hage, Oslo Camping, Youngs and Colonel Mustard.

– I am very worried about what will happen in the future and what we should do, says Nordskaug.

Last week, CEO Karl-Henning Svendsen at Noho announced that Elsker, Cafe Christiania and Nieu Scene Soria Moria nightclubs would be shutting down indefinitely.

Now they have also decided to close the dream kitchen of the Emma restaurant in Tromsø.

More layoffs

– Everyone here is fired. We’re talking about 15-20 pieces, Svendsen tells E24 on Thursday afternoon.

The company has around 530 employees. Now about 430 of them have been laid off. Most people who are still working have reduced work hours.

Svendsen is now making ongoing assessments on whether to close four more nightclubs in the capital.

– There are no more people. We don’t have billing, says Svendsen.

– We keep all the infection control rules, but we can’t force people to come either, says Ida Nordskaug.

Pour stop

– The worst thing is that it is the employees who come to us and tell us that they have no guests, and wonder what to do, says the nightlife manager.

On Thursday, the government presented new measures for the entire country, to limit the infection, which has recently increased considerably.

Prime Minister Erna Solberg calls on everyone to stay home as long as possible in the coming weeks, as well as to limit social contact with other people.

In addition, a national bar stop will be introduced from midnight to midnight Saturday. Liquor-licensed restaurants are unable to admit new guests after 10 PM.

– Everything is very uncertain. You can’t predict anything and you have no idea. We need clear messages and guidelines from the authorities, says Noho Norway COO Tobias Kvist.

Last week he was involved in the closure of the Christiania nightclub.

– It was difficult to go to the staff and inform them. It affects them and their personal finances, he says.

– Seigpining

According to Bergens Tidende, 14 Bergen nightclubs are also closing their doors.

– This is bleeding and sticky pain. The authorities should have closed what we do and rather come with support. It would have been a more honest approach, Ricks AS general manager Tom Greni tells BT.

Greni tells the newspaper that Ricks AS had 164 employees working before March 12. Now only 12 have returned to work.

Operations manager Kvist in Noho, Norway, agrees that it would have been better if they had been asked to shut down and compensated for the loss.

– We have the place where it would have been more profitable to close than to remain open. It’s horrible, he says.

Last week, the company made it clear that they may have more layoffs in the future as well.

– I have a great understanding of strict measures. They can help save Christmas for our employees and their families. At the same time, I have to lay off employees and they feel insecure about their jobs. I struggle with that, says Noho’s boss, Karl-Henning Svendsen.

I desperately need

In Oslo, Councilor Raymond Johansen announced tougher and tougher measures on Friday.

In a meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Iselin Nybø on Tuesday, the city council leader demanded that the government intervene to save nightlife in the capital. He asked here for up to 70 percent of unavoidable fixed costs to be offset.

In addition, he requested that the compensation scheme and the layoff scheme last “until the pandemic ends.” The plan has recently been extended and now lasts until February.

Karl-Henning Svendsen at Noho believes compensation work is too slow and is currently in fear for the crown.

– Now the state must enter. They have been warning of a wave two since March. I don’t mean to complain, but now things are taking too long. Payments must be made on an ongoing basis. Our employees can’t wait until 2021.