Clubbing may have returned but it is not fun for those that sleep on the streets.
Nightclubs up and down Scotland have opened their doors as the clock moved a minute past midnight on Monday and most Scottish Covid rules were scrapped.
As people filter out of the club onto the streets in the early hours of the morning, it leaves the homeless worried, about what the drunkards might do.
Helen McMillian from Help The Homeless Glasgow, is worried about what might happen to those unfortunate enough to sleep on the streets, especially in the city centre.
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She said: “It is always worrying to think that people experiencing homelessness are hanging around or sleeping in the city centre at night.
“With the pubs and clubs reopening again, it heightens that worry. For the most part the public are genuinely sympathetic when they see someone sitting in a doorway but you will always get the people that have had too much to drink, perhaps showing off and target vulnerable people for a laugh.”
Rough sleepers have also had their sleeping bags, set alight by clubbers who are on their way home.
She continued: “We have assisted a lot of people over the years who have been targeted by these heartless thugs, people have had their sleeping bags urinated on or set on fire, others have been physically assaulted and many verbally abused, it is absolutely disgusting the stories we have been told and the incidents that we have witnessed first hand.
“Thankfully now most of our homeless community are being accommodated in some capacity and there are very few rough sleepers at the moment but this won't stop the number of people who will go out and sit in the city centre at bars and clubs hoping to make a bit of money from revellers.”
She just hopes people continue to be kind beyond restrictions being lifted.
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She added: "Throughout the pandemic we have seen communities pull together and show kindness in ways we have never seen before, I hope this extends past the end of this period and people will continue to be kind, especially to our most vulnerable in society.”
In Glasgow, clubbers took to the dancefloor after months of absence.
One venue delighted to be back was the Boteco Do Brasil club, with managing director Luigi Aseni saying that being able to open up past midnight was ‘essential’ for the industry.
He said: “We are so excited! It’s so refreshing to see people dancing again and enjoying themselves after 18 months.
“We missed the music, the people and the atmosphere. We are all charged up, ready to jump back in!
“It’s been difficult to stay in the business with all the restrictions but we managed to adapt and made the most of it.”
With, Humza Yousaf not ruling out another lockdown, this leaves Mr Aseni worried about the possibility of future restrictions.
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