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