Christmas market: open and close again soon
“The lights will be on, the huts will be closed,” said the chairman of the Salzburg Christmas Market Association, Wolfgang Haider, about the announced lockdown from next week in Salzburg. He estimates the financial loss of at least two million euros for the exhibitors due to the construction of the infrastructure, the production and provision of the goods meeting. “It’s pure costs, it’s not sales,” Haider.
Opened Thursday morning
The traditional market on the Dom and Residenzplatz in Salzburg’s old town was officially opened on Thursday at 10 a.m. Around 100 huts were set up. The association is now looking forward to the visitors who come to the lockdown, said the chairman on Thursday morning. “And then we lock up. We’re on the same train as everyone else. “
After the lockdown, however, the Christmas market will reopen, added Haider. If the lockdown continues for a long time and does not end until December 24th, for example, it will no longer pay off to unlock, Haider pointed out. As planned, the market does not close on December 26th for the first time, but on January 1st.
Market has to be fenced off
The organizers assumed that a 2-G inspection directly at the stands would be sufficient. After a video conference with the health authorities of other federal states, a fence is needed.
There are containers at the three access areas to the site, for which visitors have to provide the 2-G verification and then receive a tape, says Haider.
“Three positions where control is carried out”
“These locations are at the Kapitelplatz entrance, at the Franziskanergasse entrance and at the entrance across from Goldgasse. These are the three positions where there is control. We don’t have large construction fences there, but half-grids that are still provided with tarpaulins, where we also have QR codes on them for mandatory registration. The registration is only used for contact tracking by the authorities. Otherwise this is not questionable in terms of data protection law. “
Due to the CoV, there is currently a ban on alcohol and an FFP2 mask requirement on the Christmas market. It will be closed on Sunday at 8.30 p.m. – after that it will be closed for an indefinite period of time. The market stalls remain set up.