Berlin’s legendary club scene is still packing dance floors, but behind the crowds and pounding beats, venues are struggling to make ends meet as customers spend less on drinks and costs continue to rise, according to a new study.

Clubgoers are planning their nights out more carefully, staying for shorter periods and drinking less, the Berlin Club Commission said, citing its “Club Culture Berlin 2026” study commissioned by the city’s economic affairs department and released on Friday.

The changes have dramatically altered how clubs make their money.

In 2017, around 60% of club revenues came from food and drink sales, while entrance fees accounted for just 21%. That relationship has now been reversed, with admission fees accounting for 59% of revenues.

“What the bar no longer brings in has to be covered by admission,” the Club Commission said.

The organization does not collect data on average admission prices, but entry fees of €15 to €20 ($17 to $25) are no longer unusual in Berlin.

Founded in 2001, the Berlin Club Commission represents the city’s club culture and says it has more than 250 members.

Full dance floors, mounting financial pressure

Costs have risen, particularly when it comes to labour. Some 64% of respondents cited personnel costs as their biggest headache, followed by operating costs at 62% and declining purchasing power among customers at 60%.

Some 85% said financial pressures were affecting their event programmes.

Despite the challenges, demand remains relatively strong. Some 83% of the clubs surveyed reported operating at 50% capacity or more.

But only 61% of clubs now manage to at least cover their costs, down from 79% in 2017.

“The dance floors are full, but the tills are empty,” the Club Commission said.

Clubs call for support

Some 95% of respondents said the long-term survival of many clubs was at risk without structural improvements.

“Berlin’s club culture is not dying, but it is under pressure to transform,” the organization said.

According to the Club Commission, 24 club and cultural venues have closed since 2020, while around 25 new ones have opened.

The availability of suitable spaces is a persistent problem.

The organization called for publicly owned properties to be made more readily available for club culture and for long-term funding structures to replace individual project-based measures.

It also called for clubs to be recognized as cultural venues at both state and federal level and for working conditions in the sector to be improved.

The study surveyed clubs, independent collectives, event organizers and other cultural operators in March and April. Music bars, alternative cultural spaces and socio-cultural centres were also included, while purely commercial event venues and restaurants were excluded.

A total of 102 respondents completed the survey, while researchers also conducted interviews with 12 clubgoers aged between 22 and 28.