Flower tub ban causes gastro dispute – “Many feel criminalized”
Beautify your own outdoor gastronomy with a few flower pots? That’s not readily allowed in Cologne. What drives restaurateurs crazy.
Cologne – For many Cologne residents, a visit to the gastronomy or one of the numerous beer gardens in Cologne is indispensable in summer temperatures. Especially outside, where restaurateurs go to great lengths to compete with other localities to make the outdoor area beautiful, there are a number of guests romping around when the temperatures are friendly. However, beautifying things is not that easy in Cologne – especially when it comes to flower pots.
Cologne: Dispute between gastronomy and the city – flower pots “cannot be allowed”
Flowerpot? In fact, the usually harmless and non-disturbing potted plants are a major point of contention between the city and the catering industry would like to provide outdoor gastronomy are listed. Just like the passage on page two of the document: “The setting up of flower pots, among other things, cannot be permitted.”
The city of Cologne bans flower pots in the outdoor restaurant – IG Kölner Gastro reacts with incomprehension
In a city that has literally been “greener” for months and years and would also benefit from nicer outdoor gastronomy, recently hit hard by the Corona pandemic? The ban on flower tubs causes a lack of understanding, at least in the interest group of Cologne restaurateurs (IG Kölner Gastro). That’s what IG says in a long statement on Facebook – and also when asked by 24RHEIN. “We believe that traders should decide for themselves what they want to decorate their spaces with,” explains Laura Isberner from IG Kölner Gastro.
Flower tubs banned by the city of Cologne – restaurateur from Ehrenfeld starts petition
The fact that the city seems to prefer gray to green is not only too colorful for IG Kölner Gastro. The restaurateur Judith Grazio, who has run the gin bar “The Bär” in Ehrenfeld’s Thebäerstraße since 2016, is also angry. “The Cologne gastronomy is currently experiencing an attack by the city of Cologne, which is simply not acceptable! The city is not available for talks and promises made to interest groups turn out to be empty statements,” she writes in a petition that was able to collect over 1,100 signatures on change-org on Friday morning (as of 10 a.m.).
Flower tubs on “public street land” annoyance for the city of Cologne – “are subject to approval”
But why is it even forbidden for catering businesses to set up flower pots outdoors? As the city explained when asked by 24RHEIN, outdoor gastronomy would not only take place on private property, but often also on public street land, where the administration has sovereignty. “There are legal regulations for this. According to the NRW Roads and Paths Act, public roads may not be used for the installation of any objects without permission. Flower tubs are also subject to approval,” the city explained on request.
IG Kölner Gastro frustrated by city measures because of flower pots – “many feel criminalized”
Depending on where they are set up, YOU could also cause traffic obstructions, and you also want to prevent “uncontrolled excesses”. This may even be understandable – but it is by no means a comfort to restaurateurs. “The measures are frustrating because the gastronomy is getting tired. Far from the pandemic, it is a really strenuous job, with a miserable number of requirements, a lack of personnel and working hours that often extend into the night. The unnecessary arguments with the regulatory authorities wear you down and many feel criminalized,” explains Laura Isberner from IG Kölner Gastro to 24RHEIN.
City ban on flower tubs bad for business? Soon solution for Cologne possible
Flower tub ban in Cologne’s outdoor dining – that’s what the city says
When asked by 24RHEIN, the city of Cologne explained: “Innkeepers not only operate outdoor gastronomy on private property, but often use public street land for this purpose. Legal regulations apply to this. According to the NRW Roads and Paths Act, public roads may not be used for the installation of any objects without permission. Flower tubs are also subject to approval.”
“The law for North Rhine-Westphalia stipulates that the preventive ban serves to enable the authority to check and weigh up conflicting interests before any use is made. In the case of public road land, priority is given to the use of the areas by the general public as well as to the safety and ease of road traffic.”
According to Isberner, this behavior by the city is “certainly damaging to business” in the long term – companies that are considering moving to other cities or saying goodbye to the catering trade can already do so. In the future, the city explains when asked by 24RHEIN, it could also be the case that flower pots will soon be allowed to be used for decorative purposes. However, it is not yet clear when this will be. With which the flower pot dispute is probably going into the next round. (mo) Fair and independent information about what is happening in Germany and NRW – subscribe to our free 24RHEIN newsletter here.