THEY were once bustling nightspots where people queued round the block for the chance to dance the night away to the backing of a booming soundtrack.

But now the heyday of the nightclub appears to be in the past, with new research showing that the number of people passing the doormen has dropped by almost a quarter in the past five years.

And Scots have been revealed as the least likely to go clubbing out of anywhere in the UK,

In the past, go-to venues such as Glasgow's Henry Afrika's, The Volcano and Cleopatra's would be packed over the weekend with dancers, drinkers and partygoers.

But market research firm Mintel has found that customers are baulking at high admission costs and drinks prices, and many say they just avoid the dance scene altogether.

Just 5 per cent of Scots describe themselves regular clubbers now, almost three in 10 avoid the dance scene entirely and as many as 27 per cent claim to have never visited a nightclub.

The top three issues most likely to put clubbers off are expensive door entry, expensive drinks, and crowding.

Mintel found that annual admissions for the UK nightclubs industry fell by 34 million in five years to 115 million last year.

Revenue for nightclubs had declined by 21 per cent from £1.49 billion in 2010 to £1.18 billion in 2015, and was set to decline a further 16 per cent to £982 million in 2020.

Meanwhile Mintel forecasted yearly admissions figures would fall a further 14 per cent by 2020 to reach just 99 million.

Less than half of visitors bought more than one alcoholic drink during their nightclub visit.

A spokesman for the Scottish Licensed Trade Association said that the problems affecting nightclubs could be traced back to changes to licensing laws and wavering demand from customers.

He said: "The problem started in 2009 when pubs were allowed to stay open later. Before that people would go to a pub from the early evening to midnight and then on to a nightclub into the early hours of the morning.

"Burt when pubs began to stay open later and later they were placed in direct competition with nightclubs, and everything changed.

"This was something we never agreed with. We wanted to keep the two markets separate."

He added that the people now wanted more from their night out than just drinking and dancing.

The spokesman said: "Many people now want to go to pubs and eat and stay longer, and food is a big part of what they offer. The whole ethos has changed."

The figures come after a year after the famed arts and club venue The Arches closed its doors after Glasgow City Council licensing chiefs curtailed its licensed hours amid police concern over drug use at the site.

Mintel research analyst Rebecca McGrath said: "High profile closures highlight the increased regulatory pressure faced by nightclubs, as well as the competition they face from late night bars and pubs.

"Total UK nightclub revenue is also in decline as nightclubs are unable to compensate for declines in admissions through an increase in average spend per admission.

"High entry fees and drink prices are having a negative impact on people’s clubbing experiences, with many opting to purchase alcoholic drinks in other locations, including at home, before they get to a club."

She added: "To combat this, nightclubs can concentrate on further integrating smartphones into the promotion and booking process, as well as in-club behaviour, as this holds particular appeal with key younger age groups.

"More event nights, live music and immersive experiences can also help reinvigorate excitement around visiting a nightclub as they will help an evening feel more unique.”