Goodbye to Berlin City's club culture under threat from surging cost of rent and gentrification

A forlorn disco ball counting down the time remaining hangs at the entrance of the beloved Berlin club Wilde Renate, known only as Renate, which is rapidly heading into its final nights of wild abandon.

- Deborah Cole

Unlike its more hyped cousin Berghain and posher late sister Watergate, Renate has long stood for a certain more relaxed type of Berlin-brand partying – more poor than sexy, to borrow the capital's lamented motto.

The club, a ramshackle garden leading to a maze-like block of derelict flats playing EDM, house and techno handpicked by live DJs on each floor, has welcomed visitors from across the city and around the world for 18 years.

Instead of dress codes and picky or menacing bouncers, there were "welcoming" bartenders and a vibe like a "giant house party," said guests on a recent Friday night. There were even rumors of a resident cat.

"I've always loved this old building with all its levels," said Philipp Wittwer, a 34-year-old engineer out with friends. "It's like a haunted house – there are so many rooms I've never seen, even after coming for years."

But in late December the party will be over. And for several other clubs making up the city's unique nightlife, the writing is on the wall.

Many cities including London, Paris and New York have experienced a rash of late-night venue closures, creating depressing "night-time deserts" where there once was a vibrant scene.

But for a European capital that built its reputation on fun and decadence like no other, the pain is especially palpable in Berlin.

Before the pandemic, the industry contributed, directly and indirectly, about €1.5bn (£1.3bn) to the struggling economy each year.