Nightlife in Helsinki given green light to reopen

Nightlife in Helsinki has returned, as COVID restrictions were lifted from the Finnish capital on Monday.

Nightclubs are no longer under a curfew in the city as COVID restrictions for hospitality businesses such as clubs, bars and restaurants have finally been lifted.

Under the previous set of rules, clubs were ordered to stop serving alcohol at 11:PM and then close their doors to customers at 12:PM, leaving many of them to lose out on key business hours. COVID restrictions also limited the capacity at which clubs could open.

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These limitations were lifted from Monday February 28.

“Monday is naturally a quiet day for nightclubs, so it’s difficult to say how many will be open then,” Timo Lappi, the managing director of the Finnish Hospitality Association, said to Helsingin Sanomat.

“But this is a day of joy, as restaurants can call back employees who have been temporarily laid off for long periods of time.”

The easing of restrictions was welcomed by many, most notably by students who claim that the lack of nightlife has impacted their university experience and made it "less fun".

Speaking to YLE, one student said "It's good that these places are open again, and people can relieve some of the stress from everything that is happening in the world."

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Another student said: "This is my fourth year of studies and I have had a lot of experiences. It feels like getting into these big bashes, especially for younger students, makes for some really significant moments. And, of course, it's great to get to check this out for yourself and find out whether students still know how to party."

Aneesa Ahmed is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Twitter