The muse of the nightclubs of the 1980s, the last Macumba in France, located in Englos, in the North, will bow out on February 23.
“The end of an era for many faithful” an Internet user is moved. After 49 years of existence, La Voix du Nord announced the closure of the last Macumba in France, located in the town of Englos. The end of a local institution which has the effect of an explosion after the announcement of the sale of the establishment by the owners of the nightclub.
“It is with emotion that we announce that the last Macumba in France will permanently close its doors on Sunday February 23, 2025” nightclub managers announced on Facebook. Like every Sunday, the establishment will be open from 3 p.m. “and until the end of the night, for the last dance” concludes the press release, perhaps on the legendary eponymous music of Jean-Pierre Mader.
-A sector in crisis
Created in Montpellier by Henri Souque and Jean Calvo in 1966, the Macumba brand was exported almost everywhere in France and became the symbol of the crazy nights of the 1980s. The nightclub chain would have up to 23 establishments and would be established in Switzerland, Madrid or even Havana. At the beginning of the 2000s, the brand suffered with the entry into force of the ban on smoking indoors as well as awareness of the danger of drinking and driving.
More broadly, the closure of Macumba d’Englos is part of a context of crisis for French nightclubs. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to the closure of several dozen nightclubs, particularly in the countryside. In 2020, France had around 1,500 nightclubs compared to 4,000 establishments 60 years ago.
