Success for local residents

Mega smoking temple in Favoriten averted

Smoking sisha pipes (symbolic image)

(Bild: Markus Wenzel)

Success for hundreds of Favoriten residents, the "Krone" and the district. A highly controversial shisha parlor with 200 outdoor seats has been overturned. The application was withdrawn. Nevertheless, questions remain unanswered.

Hundreds of Favoriten residents around Rotenhofgasse breathe a sigh of relief. In place of a former supermarket, a barbecue restaurant and sisha bar with 200 smoking places was to be built here - the "Krone" reported. The project has been overturned.

The applicant has withdrawn her project. The responsible municipal district office has discontinued the proceedings. Apparently the new conditions were too expensive for the project applicant.

Major protests from residents
Local residents had protested vehemently. They had feared an unreasonable amount of noise, stench and traffic chaos caused by the water pipe smokers. This has now been averted. "We are satisfied," explains Franko Petri from the citizens' initiative.

The district council is also pleased: "We supported this result in the interests of the residents," said a spokesperson for Favoriten leader Marcus Franz (SPÖ).

It remains to be seen what will become of the site (private property). The food market, which has been closed for years, is falling into disrepair, as is the parking area next to it.