The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AFTER 14 years as a staple of New Providence’s nightlife, Primetime Nightclub has closed, marking the end of an era for a venue that once anchored late-night crowds.

Owner Lavon Rahming said the decision was driven by a mix of changing tastes, mounting costs and a personal sense that the business had reached its natural endpoint.

“It was multiple factors but I think sometimes, you have a brand for so long, and you just have to rebrand and re-pivot," he said. "So, I think we just reached that point where people knew the brand for so long, and we have a lot of newer establishments out, and a lot of my older customers start to diminish, probably based on just growing up."

“People change their life, people get married, people get responsibilities and basically their party and start families and that's one of the reasons why I want to go more into grown crowd.”

Mr Rahming said walking away from Primetime was not an easy choice, particularly after building the nightclub from the ground up.

“I was fighting for this decision because when you start something from an idea that's a scribble on a paper, you tend to fall in love with something, and then you don't want to give it away, because you think it's going to always be there. But then you realise that, okay, yeah, this already has time. Then you have to make a decision to go in a new direction, and search for growth,” he said.

Rather than closing for good, Mr Rahming plans to start over. He said the space will be renovated and reopened as a restaurant and lounge under a new name, with no connection to the Primetime brand. Renovations are underway, and he expects the new concept to launch in about four months.

He said the closure had a limited impact on staff. As business slowed over the past year, many employees had already moved on, most working part-time while running other ventures. A small number remain involved during renovations, and he said he continues to support them where possible.

Beyond his own business, Mr Rahming said the experience reflects the wider strain facing nightclub operators in The Bahamas. He pointed to rising prices, heavy overheads and what he described as uneven treatment by authorities.

“I think, like with any business, it's very difficult to run an establishment in the economy that we have, especially nightclubs, but because sometimes I think people look at nightclubs and they demonise it,” he said.

“I don't think we get much support, even from the law, because on many occasions officers have made decisions to close the establishment even though there was no incident. The decisions are not on a level playing field, some establishments can go until 4am, but we are restricted to 2am.

“If a person is coming out at 10 o'clock, why would you go to a 2am nightclub and you could spend the same amount and enjoy it until 4am? I had a lawyer write to the business licensing department and police headquarters, and they denied it twice without reasoning. There is also the increase in prices every day for food, alcohol, and supplies. I cannot compete with new establishments that offer drinks for $1 or $2 because I have overhead obligations, that's one of the major difficulties.”

While newer venues have drawn away some of Primetime’s regulars, Mr Rahming said he does not see them as rivals. He noted that several were launched by former promoters who once worked at Primetime.

“I wouldn't say competition directly, because at least two of the establishment that have recently opened, they actually came from Primetime in terms of like promoters for me,” he said. "I had them promoting various events for me or whatever it is as part of the team, they understand my structure, they understand how to do it and I know for me, I like to see when people elevate, when people move on and make things happen. Now, it might have taken away from my crowd, because now a lot of the people that was familiar with them at being at my establishment might have followed them into something new, but that's a part of life."

The club’s final public night was last Saturday, followed by a staff gathering on Sunday. Operations formally ended on Monday, closing a chapter that Mr Rahming said was less an ending than a pivot toward what comes next.