Flop of the Millennium?

With only days left to this millennium the predicted fever is failing to materialise. Prices are being slashed, events cancelled, and the general consensus seems to be that new year is just that. GRAHAM HUTSON examines the failure of the millennium phenomenon.

It's easy to get excited about. The last few minutes of the last thousand years, and what are you going to do? More to the point, wherre will you be? Will you be able to tell your grandchildren you were at THE millennium party when the big hand made its last tick of the 20th century?

With all the hype that's been going on since the beginning of 1999, it seems ironic the turn of the millennium is more likely to be remembered as the biggest pile of over-hyped hysteria since the eclipse.

In fact there are certain similarities with the eclipse which could make 1999 the year of the flop.

You have the event promoters all promising the biggest, best party ever, and until recently they were charging a small fortune fr the privilege of just being on their premises.

This price was, they said, justified by the high cowst of employing staff (figures of £500 per bar shift were being mooted), coupled with otehr costs. "Think of a figure and double it," seemed to be the preferred method.

All of a sudden the cost of going out for the night became phenomenal.

In a daring move Tots in Southend became the first to put its millennium tickets on sale at £75, with the promise of free champagne and the obligatory "best millennium party," back in April.

"Somebody had to get the ball rolling," explains Carol Reeve, Tots spokesman. "We made a few inquiries and we felt £75 was a fair price at the time - other clubs are charging between £75 and £100 and we had to make a decision.

Seven months down the line, however, and Tots has knocked a third of its ticket price, reprinted them and put them back on sale at £50. Clubbers will still get everything they were promised at £75, including a bottle of Moet and a present, so why the sudden drop?

"Although we have been selling tickets all year we had a rethingk and thought it was too expensive."

Carol declined to comment on the number of tickets sold, although rumours suggest they didn't get past single figures, while Tots has capacity for more than 1,200.

But the fact is Tots took the lead back in April and dared set a price for the millennium party.

Loads of others didn't, and at the time Tots rightly thought it would come in as one of the more reasonable nights. In all honesty everyone else thought it would too.

And that's where the rot set in. Resigned to the fact that just one night looked likely to cost an entire month's salary, most normal people started making plans which involved minimal travel and maximum fun.

The result is a nation whcih seems ready to party the millennium in with a few clost friends na das much drink as it can stockpile.

The failure of other planned events in Essex hasn't helped.

In Chelmsford, the 25,000 capacity Millennium Bug Ball featuring some of the world's best DJs and dance acts was pulled because emergency services feared they would be overstretched.

Elsewhere the fear of disorder which people presume comes with the opportunity of a 36-hour drinking binge, coupled with the massive prices for taxis and clubs had sll but extinguished any remaining flicker of enthusiasm.

If you want proof just check the Echo's big question of November 4 - of the four people featured not one had plans to go mad for the night. In fact not one had plans. Another two people not featured were equally apathetic. So it's six people, big deal. But they were picked entirely at random.

So to get the interest going again, emergency measures are being brought in.

The club promoters who didn't set their prices in April are now coming in with much more affordable - if still relatively expensive - prices.

Cultural Vibes at Zero in Aviation Way, Southend, is asking £38, and Saks in Clifftown Road is selling tickets at £25.

Storm in Elmer Approach, Southend, could top the lot with its £100 all inclusive tickets, although it has indicated it will drop the price if the market dictates.

Some venues, however, are not opening at all.

The Wetherspoons chain is closing altogether from 8pm on millennium eve, to give staff a night off and other pub chains have decided to leave it up to their managers.

The places resigned to opening, be they restaurants, pubs or clubs are also resigned to the fact they might not sell out or make much money.

"When you consider what it will cost us for the night we will probably make mor more than we would on a normal new year's eve,," claims Tots' Carol Reeve.

Be they club owners or baby sitters, people are now realisingthey aren't going to become overnight millionaires when the clock strikes 12.

The cracks might be starting to show in the grand millennium party plan, but for some money is no object. And they will most likely be going to Renouf's Michelin graded restaurant in bradley Way, Rochford, where despite price dropping elsewhere, it has nearly sold out - at £225 per ticket.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.