German nightclubs on Saturday welcomed a decision by the parliament to upgrade their status to cultural venues, a rare bright spot for an industry that’s been devastated by the pandemic.
Berlin (dpa) – German nightclubs on Saturday welcomed a decision by the parliament to upgrade their status to cultural venues, a rare bright spot for an industry that’s been devastated by the pandemic.
“This is an important decision for the protection and further development of club cultural diversity throughout Germany,” said the Berlin-based umbrella organization for nightclubs, Clubcommission.
The Bundestag on Friday decided that the government’s building use ordinance should be amended so clubs and live entertainment venues that can prove their cultural importance should be defined as facilities for cultural purposes, not places of entertainment.
For the club scene, this means that it will be better protected in regards to urban planning in the future.
Until now, clubs were permitted only in urban areas as an exception, and not allowed at all in residential areas. In the past, many such facilities found themselves forced out, especially from the city centre, if there were building projects envisioned for an area.
With the change in status, clubs are now considered worthy of protection and promotion
