Europe’s oldest nightclub La Paloma in Barcelona re-opens

Europe’s oldest nightclub, Barcelona’s La Paloma, has announced it has permanently re-opened after several years of closure.

Located on the border of the Sant Antoni and Raval districts of the Catalan city, the historic baroque ballroom which first opened in 1903 has been gradually re-opening in recent months after being forced to close its doors in 2007.

The 1,000-capacity club offers booth seating at both dancefloor level and on the balcony, and has unveiled a vibrant programme for its autumn season, including sets from Hot Chip, Theo Parrish, Machinedrum and Nightmares On Wax.

The news of La Paloma’s re-opening feels like a welcome respite considering a lot of famous clubs around Europe have not been so lucky these past few years.

The entertainment industry has taken a hit post-pandemic. Earlier this month, Berlin’s iconic club Watergate announced it was shutting its doors at the end of 2024, with the team citing “enormous financial pressure” as one of the reasons behind the closure. The co-founder of Watergate, Ulrich Wombacher, stated: “The days when Berlin was flooded with club-loving visitors are over, at least for now, and the scene is fighting for survival.”

Many nightlife landmarks have cited similar reasons for shutting down, with inflation rates, rising rent costs, soaring energy prices and a shift in post-pandemic habits crippling cultural mainstays.

Another recent example in Berlin was the closure in August of club Renate - which is owned by the same landlord as Watergate.

Elsewhere, a new report has revealed that the UK has lost 480 nightclubs between June 2020 to June 2024, with 65 closing just this year. The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) highlighted a massive decline, emphasising that there is an urgent need for support and intervention from the government, as these numbers reflect a broader crisis in the UK’s night time cultural economy.

Michael Kill, CEO of the NTIA, said: “The nightclub and dance music sector is facing an unprecedented crisis. Since June 2020, we’ve been losing two nightclubs every week, but in the last six months, this has escalated to three per week. This rapid decline is devastating for our economy, culture, and communities.”

He continued: “Despite contributing millions in taxes, we are burdened with rising costs and a lack of essential public services. (...) Our sector is treated like an afterthought, yet it supports jobs, tourism, and hospitality. These venues aren’t just places to dance; they are vital spaces for community and creativity."

Another ongoing issue is the dire situation for grassroots music venues, with UK charity Music Venue Trust issuing a warning last year that the country "risks producing fewer world-beating artists” as small music venues continue to experience a "full-blown crisis" - with many forced to close over the last year. LIVE, Live music Industry Venues & Entertainment, the voice of the UK’s live music industry, published a manifesto which chimed with MVT’s warning that "one hundred and twenty-five venues have shut their doors for live music in the last 12 months, 15.7% of all such spaces in the UK.”

While the future looks increasingly uncertain for clubs and small music venues across Europe, maybe La Paloma’s example can revive a sense of hope that governments will step up and support venues fighting for survival.