Legendary Berlin club Watergate will close at the end of 2024.
After 22 years, the organisers of the Falckensteinstrasse venue have made the decision to shut due to financial reasons. Per representatives, the cost of running the club has simply become too much.
“Unfortunately, the realities of inflation, the energy crisis, rising costs in general, and, not least, the high rent for this beautiful location in the heart of the city at Oberbaumbrücke on the Spree, caught up with us,” cofounder Ulrich Wombacher told Resident Advisor. “We’re facing enormous financial pressure, which ultimately led us to the decision not to extend the club’s lease.”
Wombacher also cited the increasing popularity of larger events and festivals as a factor in the closure. “A club like Watergate is based on the original idea of the club as a defining place for an entire musical generation,” he continued. “Now that we see things going in a different direction, it’s time for us to take this last step. Continuing blindly without sense or reason and risking an uncontrolled financial decline is out of the question for us. We’ve chosen to step down while we still have control and to leave the stage with dignity.”
Watergate will sign off with a farewell programme, running from its birthday in October until its closure—exact date TBC. Highlights include appearances from Charlotte de Witte, Sven Väth, Richie Hawtin, Marlon Hoffstadt, DJ Minx and Kerri Chandler, plus renowned parties Multisex, Mala Junta, Club Heartbroken and New Kids on Acid, the beloved minimal night affiliated with Zip and Ricardo Villalobos.
Founded in October 2002 by Wombacher, Steffen Hack and Niklas Eichstädt, Watergate is considered one of Berlin’s most iconic nightlife institutions. Although the physical space will close, the label, Watergate Records, and the wider brand will continue to exist.
Watergate’s announcement follows recent news that nearby club Renate may also shut when its lease ends in 2025. Both venues are operated by the same landlord.