Costs as euthanasia

How cities are becoming the gravediggers of pub gardens

At Café Central in Baden, waiter Toni does the "Schani". The fee check brought a surprise in the spa town.(Bild: Doris Seebacher)

"This is euthanasia for the hospitality industry!", raged landlords after the 135 percent increase in pub garden fees in Neunkirchen in Lower Austria. A price check by the "Krone" in comparable towns in the southern part of the province has now revealed some surprises! Where it is particularly expensive for the operators of street cafés, where they are cheaper. And why the "Schani" is not actually worth the same everywhere.

There was recently a stir among pub owners in the district capital of Neunkirchen because the fees for pavement cafés were increased by more than half this year. In the past, people paid 16 euros a month all year round, but since this year it has been 45 euros in summer and 30 euros in winter, in each case per ten square meters or part thereof. The "Krone" asked around to find out what the situation is like in the region - Mödling, Baden and Wiener Neustadt.