‘March of commercialisation’: writing is on the wall for Berlin’s nightclubs

Rising rents and gentrification in the once-cheap and abundant real estate market have put the pinch on the clubbing scene

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.

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.

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