All open at last

How “virtual snow” also slowed down pub gardens

The outdoor dining area is calling: Nicole and Sophie (8) are already being served by Stefan Himmelbauer in the Mojo Bar's outdoor dining area in Wels(Bild: Wenzel Gerhard)

It was the warmest March in recorded history, and in some places in Upper Austria there were obstacles to opening outdoor areas that were difficult for landlords to understand. The pub gardens remained closed for longer than some would have liked due to "virtual snow". But now it's fine everywhere on the hot weekend!

"Some colleagues struggled with hurdles, for example because the area had to remain open for snow clearance," says Upper Austria's publicans spokesperson Thomas Mayr-Stockinger, who is happy that all of the state's pubs and pavement cafés were allowed to open on the first hot weekend of the year. In the warmest March on record, some restaurateurs had to leave their chairs inside so as not to get in the way of any snow clearance - which was of course not necessary.

Tomorrow, Sunday, high "Olli" could fill the restaurant gardens with thirsty Upper Austrians, as 30 degrees are possible for the first time so early in April - the earliest 30 degrees in Austria is known from 2012, on the 28th in Braunau with 31.8 degrees.

"Outdoor" gastronomy is booming in Linz
In Linz alone, there are almost 300 licensed outdoor cafés and bars on public land. "90 of them have a year-round permit," says the city council - the rest are allowed to open from March to October. Incidentally, there were only five pub gardens in the provincial capital in 1980; in 1994, 112 were licensed. "And in Linz, the fees have fallen," they say, probably with an eye on Steyr, where the increase in fees caused quite a stir this year and the regulation was postponed, at least for those with a valid 3-year contract.

In Linz, Lilith and Katharina already toasted outdoors on Friday on the Pöstlingberg (picture(Bild: Einöder Horst)

The 58 pub gardens in Wels are also open on summer weekends - if the landlords want them to be - and there are also 34 officially approved smoking areas in front of restaurants.

Hot mushrooms only glow when subsidies are waived
If it quickly gets chilly in the evening without the sun, restaurateurs are still allowed to set up the controversial gas-powered heaters. However, only those who have not applied for an energy cost subsidy are allowed to light them up.