In a bold move aimed at protecting young people, local politicians in Helsingør have proposed a new regulation that would ban anyone under 18 from entering bars, discos, and pubs after 22:00. This initiative is part of a broader health policy designed to delay young people’s first experiences with alcohol and is stirring debate among youth, business owners, and policymakers alike.
Protecting youth from alcohol
Helsingør Kommune‘s new proposal seeks to restrict access for under-18s to venues where alcohol is the main attraction after 22:00. According to Janus Kyhl (K), a City Council member and chairman of the licensing board in Helsingør,
“It’s about the well-being of our young people, and it’s about not making alcohol available to them.”
This underscores the primary goal of the measure: to safeguard young people’s health by limiting their exposure to alcohol during the later hours of the evening. By targeting venues where alcohol is central to the environment, the municipality hopes to reduce early alcohol initiation and promote healthier social habits.
Youth reactions: mixed reviews and concerns
The proposed ban has sparked varied reactions among the youth it targets. For instance, 17-year-old gymnasium student Alma Lucia Henriksen expressed her disapproval:
“It’s dumb. I don’t think it’s going to make a difference. I believe we young people should be allowed to have fun and be out after 22:00.”
On the other hand, 16-year-old efterskole student Julius Vincent Kjær-Mathiesen shared a more supportive view:
“I’ve never really been to a bar or club, and it’s actually fair that they do it to take care of us.”
Adding to the conversation, Smilla Kyhl, a student at Helsingør Gymnasium, argues that the proposal is initially nonsensical:
“But the proposal doesn’t make any sense at first. We just take our money somewhere else, because nobody goes home at 22:00 or 24:00. It’s just bad for the economy in an already dead city.”
Similarly, 17-year-old Alfred Skjøt laments the impact of the new rule on local nightlife:
“It would just further kill the city’s nightlife and reduce it. We would simply go to bars in Copenhagen instead.”
These opinions reflect a deep concern among young people that the regulation may simply push their social lives into less regulated, private spaces or even harm the local economy
Impact on nightlife: it’s just symbolpolitik
Local nightlife operators are also voicing their concerns regarding the potential consequences of the proposed ban. Finn Byrholt Hansen, owner of Club Retro , remarked:
“I don’t think it’s going to change anything about the young people’s alcohol consumption. But I do think it might change where the young people are hanging out.”
Hansen fears that while the ban may not reduce overall alcohol consumption, it could simply push young people toward private gatherings where there is less regulation and oversight, potentially undermining public safety efforts.
The reality of private parties: we need other strategies
A significant concern among critics is that young people already tend to organize private parties where alcohol consumption is often unregulated. This shift from public venues to private settings might lead to situations where alcohol is consumed without any oversight, potentially increasing risky behavior.
Instead of merely banning under-18s from entering public venues after 22:00, some experts suggest that local policymakers should also consider strategies that promote fun without relying on alcohol.
Such approaches could help foster a culture where fun and socializing do not depend on drinking, offering a more sustainable and inclusive solution than restrictions that might simply drive young people to unmonitored private parties.
A regional trend in youth nightlife restrictions
Helsingør is not alone in its efforts to protect young people from early alcohol exposure. Similar measures have been implemented in other Danish municipalities. For instance, Roskilde prohibits under-18s from being in bars after 23:00, while Hillerød requires them to be home by midnight. These policies reflect a growing regional trend toward stricter nightlife regulations aimed at curbing youth alcohol consumption.
