Dutch live event venues struggling; Half ended 2025 in the red, 14% drop in clubbers
Dutch live event venues are struggling. Over half ended 2025 in the red as visitor numbers dropped and costs rose. Club nights, in particular, were less attended than the year before, with visitor numbers dropping nearly 14 percent, NOS reports based on figures from the Association of Dutch Music Venues and Festivals (VNPF).
The urge to party after the coronavirus pandemic seems to be drying up, the association said. “When we talk about this with venues, we simply hear about different needs from young people: that they want to go out less often,” said Arne Dee of the VNPF.
The number of sold-out club nights declined from 1 in 4 in 2024 to 1 in 5 last year. Concerts were also less well attended. Last year, music venues recorded 3.6 percent fewer concert visits than in 2024. Though the association added that visitor numbers were still above those of 2023.
Pop venue Simplon in Groningen told NOS that it is harder to sell tickets for night programs. “I think it is mainly due to people’s personal financial situation,” night programmer Hanneke DIjsktra told the broadcaster. “People really, really have less ot spend.”
Heldon in Zwolle also sold fewer tickets last year. “We saw a significant dip in the autumn,” head programmer Erik Delobel said, but added context. “After corona, everything went crazy; now there is normalization.”
Fewer visitors are not the sole reason for last year’s red figures. Personnel costs also rose, and booking artists became more expensive, VNPF said.
