Pubs open their doors

A sense of life returns to Vienna after the floods

The Herrmann beach bar was badly damaged by the flooding, yet it reopened just three days later. Amazing!(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Parick Puchinger, Martin Jöchl (2))

After the devastating floods, pubs and restaurants are fighting their way back to life. It's hard to believe: despite massive damage to furniture and infrastructure, they quickly reopened.

At the Herrmann Strandbar, there is no time to lose and they reopened for guests on Wednesday. It's hard to believe that just three days ago the water covered everything here. "We underestimated the weather conditions," says owner Alexander Kaiser. As a result, they were ill-prepared. "Some of the deckchairs and bar tables were washed away before our eyes," reports an employee.

This is not the only damage to be lamented. A few machines broke down. The wooden buildings are also a cause for concern. "The bars and toilet facilities are all made of wood, and the extent of the damage will only become apparent in a few weeks' time," says Kaiser. For now, however, it's all about getting the place open again.

Thanks to my great team, we have managed to reopen the beach bar

Chef Alexander Kaiser

"Thanks to my great team, we've managed to get the beach bar open again," says the operator. Did they not even think about closing early this year? "No, our guests love the fall, when the sun is no longer beating down and the temperatures are more moderate," says the restaurateur. He has come up with something special for the first day: A "Reparaturseiterl" will be served. The popular beach bar then goes into its winter break on October 6.

Other bars on the Danube Canal have also been hit hard, such as the Vienna City Beach Club. "We're still cleaning up at the moment, many volunteers have come to help us, we couldn't do it without them," reports owner Max Breckner Bachmann. The club even had to be evacuated on Sunday as a result.

Vienna City Beach Club closes on Saturday
"The flood was so strong that it washed away our two newly purchased wooden ladders," says the restaurateur. It is still difficult to estimate the damage, but the owner assumes at least 100,000 euros; given the club's location, there is no insurance. The plan is for the Vienna City Beach Club to reopen on Saturday, the penultimate weekend before the end of the season. "This shows the strong entrepreneurial spirit of Vienna's restaurateurs," says Thomas Peschta, Chairman of the Vienna Gastronomy Club.

1000-year flood in Vienna
The massive rainfall has led to a 1000-year flood in the Vienna River. This is the result of analyses carried out by the Vienna Municipal Department of Water. How did this result come about? "At each water level, the ratio of water level to flow rate is calculated and recorded. This results in a water level curve that makes it possible to derive the flow rate for the respective water level," explains MA 45.