The federal government promises help for closed cafes and restaurants. But not all restaurateurs benefit from the support.
Stendal l Dark thoughts, sleepless nights and fear of what the future will bring are widespread among restaurateurs in Stendal. The industry is particularly hard hit by the second lockdown since November. It is therefore important that the committed funds arrive, says Manfred Hippeli, head of the district association of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (Dehoga).
He is addressing the Federal Government’s November and December aid for companies and self-employed people. Because the federal government is struggling with software problems, the November aid payments were delayed until mid-January.
The owner of the “coffee cult”, Nikolas Frank, on the Stendal market square can only smile tiredly at the promised help that does not arrive. Reason: The 47-year-old’s café is excluded from the federal government’s previous aid. On average, his company consists of 50 percent sales of coffee, tea and chocolate and another 50 percent per year from café operations, explains Frank. “In order to get help, the catering has to be 80 percent,” explains the owner.
Losses without fault
This fact makes him angry. He feels that he has been treated unfairly. Talks with the IHK and his tax advisor do not help him. Nobody can help him. “The finance minister is throwing billions out and I have none of it,” says Frank angrily. Basically, the entrepreneur thinks it is very good that the federal government is promising help to the traders.
For Frank, however, it is frustrating that he does not benefit at all because of the many exclusion criteria, although he is demonstrably affected by the restrictions and has to accept losses through no fault of his own, he explains. A small ray of hope at the end of the tunnel: “At least I’m lucky enough to be able to keep the shop open.” That was already the case during the first lockdown.
Nevertheless, the restaurateur reports that he had to lose 60 to 70 percent of the usual turnover in the first lockdown. Last summer and the Christmas business helped him to make ends meet, so that Frank has not taken out a loan and can pay his costs with reserves. He’s been able to do well in recent years and doesn’t even think about closing, he honestly admits.
Affected person suffers from stress
Even if Nikolas Frank excludes a closure as a horror scenario for the time being, he is suffering from a lot of stress from the ups and downs of the past few months. “There is no planning security,” he complains and hopes that he will be able to reopen his café by mid-March at the latest.
Manfred Hippeli is not aware of any restaurateurs in the district who have to give up their business when asked. Because an extension of the lockdown is not unreasonable for him, the aid must be paid promptly to prevent closings. “It feels like the opening will drag on until mid-February, if not until Easter,” he says of the situation.
It is still in the stars which concepts the restaurateurs will be allowed to reopen. The head of the district association knows one thing for sure: “Constantly turning up and down is even more costly and personnel-intensive for the restaurateurs than staying closed.”
Short-time employees
Therefore, the staff is one of the main concerns for Hippeli. “The catering is not presented as particularly lucrative by the measures,” he explains. Many employees are on short-time work. This also applies to the employees at the coffee cult. Nikolas Frank is nevertheless happy that he can keep his employees. Manfred Hippeli criticizes, however, that the restaurateurs currently have to pay in advance with the short-time work allowance.
In order to be able to continue to pay the salaries of the employees and the running costs despite the closure, it is important for Hippeli to be more present on the net. Frank Nikolas has also been planning to set up an online shop this year. “I don’t see myself as a typical online retailer,” he says, justifying this with the anonymity. Nevertheless, he realizes that he has to start an online shop.
In addition to selling over the Internet, many catering establishments use the out-of-home offer. This strategy is not a substitute and should be expanded as an option in order to secure income at all, according to Hippeli. Nikolas Frank only offers non-alcoholic warm drinks outside the home. He cannot survive on this turnover alone. “The store is not designed for that,” he explains.
Many restaurateurs try to stay afloat by all means. Passion and heart and soul are attached to it, affirms Frank. “But people are left alone.”
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