Fears have emerged that England fans staying in the world’s largest brothel in the run-up to the Euro clash against Slovenia may have been recruited as Chinese spies.
Cologne – the host city for England’s next Euro 2024 match – is famed for its famous cathedral, but is also home to Europe’s biggest brothel.
Some football revellers have paying €199 (£168.61) a night – which includes breakfast to stay at the 12-storey, bright pink Pascha building.
It’s cheaper rooms, in comparison to other accommodation in the city, has made the brothel a cost-effective choice for a flurry of England fans.
However recent football followers staying at the hotel have been warned there may be spies lurking.
According to the Daily Star, the hotel is currently being investigated after allegations emerged that the ninth floor was filled with Chinese spies.
Fears have emerged that England fans staying in the world’s largest brothel – Pascha (pictured) – in the run-up to the Euro clash against Slovenia may have been recruited as Chinese spies
The hotel is currently being investigated after allegations emerged that the ninth floor was filled with Chinese spies (File image)
Amid the revelation, some are concerned England supporters may have been put in a compromising situation in an attempt to enlist them as agents.
A UK security source told the publication: ‘It sounds farcical but it’s a classic recruitment trick.
Correspondence seen by German newspaper Bild showed lawyers being investigated were connected to Pascha owner Jing Hu, 46 – a Chinese business woman who bought the property for £10 million in 2021.
German security expert Stefan Bisanz has claimed were active in his native country.
He told The Sun: ‘People want to know what’s really going on there and it’s all a bit of a mystery.
‘The British fan is more likely to become a victim than the normal citizen who knows the area and so he has to be more careful there.’
This comes shortly after Three Lions supporters trekking to the city for the big clash against Serbia had reportedly nabbed every room.
During the Mail’s brief visit to the hotel, one customer was seen casually strolling into Pascha’s dark L-shaped entrance hall, partially lit by blue neon LED strips on its staircase.
A UK security said told: ‘It sounds farcical but it’s a classic recruitment trick. (File image)
Europe’s largest brothel – boasting 12-storeys and a pink exterior – was bought by Jing Hu, 46 – a Chinese business woman for £10 million in 2021
Another was then seen leaving, followed soon afterwards by a woman in her 20s, wearing a vest top and skirt.
The hotel building, which also has as a brothel and a nightclub, charges a €5 (£4.23) brothel entrance fee.
The business said the charge helped them in being able to provide customers with reasonably-priced drinks.
Two burly men were stationed at cash desks in the foyer.
Compared to other hotels in Cologne, Pascha is considerably cheaper. According to booking site Hotels.com, a one person room at Cologne’s Urban Loft hotel costs, £311 (€367) while ovotel Cologne City is £328 (€ 387.10).
However there were rooms in the city for slightly cheaper than the Pascha’s prices, with three-star Innception (corr) Hotel providing a single room for £192 (€ 226.60).
Pascha is located on Hornstrasse in Cologne and is located in a district which was previously largely occupied by factories.
Wurst Willy – a bratwurst takeaway – sits next door to the hotel, whilst another brothel is directly opposite with a Lidl supermarket only a stone’s throw away.
In 2002, Germany legalised buying and selling sex as well as pimping and brother keeping.
Following this law change, sex workers – mostly from Eastern Europe – have flocked to the country.
The hotel building, which also has as a brothel and a nightclub, charges a €5 (£4.23) brothel entrance fee (file image)
As well as brothels, legalisation also heralded ‘naked’ clubs with a sauna, bar and bedrooms and ‘flat-rate’ brothels where one fee buys sex with multiple women.
Drive-in ‘sex boxes’ looking like large sheds or stables, known as verrichtungsboxen – which translates roughly as ‘getting things done boxes’ – also began to pop up.
The prostitution industry in Germany is now worth an estimated £15bn annually.
Pascha filed for bankruptcy in September 2020 as a result of coronavirus legislation in the state of North-Rhine Westphalia which temporarily outlawed prostitution.
MailOnline has approached Pascha for comment.