說到青樓艷史，德國漢堡的繩索街可謂一代傳奇。然而，法律變動、品位變化和科技發展對該地區產生了巨大影響。下個月，這條街上漢堡最古老的妓院將停止營業。

People walk past the entrance of the infamous brothel 'Hotel Luxor' at the Reeperbahn red-light district in Hamburg March 18, 2008. [Agencies]

The owner of Hamburg's oldest brothel, in the heart of Germany's most famous red light district, has decided to close it down and retire after a sharp fall in business.

"It's time to go," owner Waltraud Mehrer said. "It's a pity, but business just isn't what it used to be. We used to have 10 girls working here.

"Now we only have four."

Mehrer, a glamorous blonde 59-year-old dressed in a dark suit who has been running the port city's renowned 'Hotel Luxor' for 22 years, is selling up to a private investor.

She blamed her decision on the changing face of Hamburg's nightlife in the notorious St. Pauli district and the Reeperbahn, its garish main street which is home to countless bars, strip clubs and discos.

"For every shop around here which closes, a disco comes and opens," she said in an interview, referring to the cheap dance clubs springing up nearby.

The clubs have also brought CCTV cameras and police patrols, a deterrent for customers but welcomed by some anti-prostitution groups who worry about the welfare of the women at work.

Opened in 1948 by Mehrer's father-in-law, the Luxor is the only family-run brothel on the Reeperbahn. Mehrer's son runs a bar in the same building which puts on dance shows.

In its heyday in the late 1960s when the booming harbor provided a steady stream of custom and the Beatles played in a club nearby, the Luxor, also known as the Mehrer hotel enjoyed an international reputation.

It was especially popular with Japanese, but also among British and Irish tourists.

One prostitute, who declined to be named, recalled how people she met 10 or more years ago while holidaying in Tel Aviv said they knew Hamburg because of Mehrer's hotel.

"Sailors used to come here often but now the regulars are dying out," said another, chatting in the brothel's bar. The women were wearing revealing black skirts and low-cut tops.

These days the Luxor looks dated. It’s plainly painted exterior and lack of neon lights or lurid pictures make it look drab compared with newer establishments on the rapidly growing strip.

The bar and rooms give an impression of comfort rather than seediness, with dark wood paneling on the ceiling, dim-red lighting and a retro bar.

Mehrer said Internet pornography had contributed to the decline in business, as had the rise of the credit card, as the women prefer to be paid in cash.

(Agencies/China Daily)

Vocabulary:

heyday：全盛期

(英語點津Celene編輯)