Bocholt (on the right the former Café Voß) now apparently belongs to the same owner – an entrepreneur from Bocholt.”/>
The entire row of houses on St.-Georg-Platz (on the right the former Café Voß) now apparently belongs to the same owner – an entrepreneur from Bocholt. © Stefan Prinz
2 min reading time
St.-Georg-Platz in Bocholt, previously a busy center with shops and restaurants, is facing an uncertain future. As our newspaper has learned, the entire row of houses opposite the venerable St. George’s Church has changed ownership in recent years. Among the buildings affected are well-known addresses such as the former Café Voß, the property of the Eine-Welt-Laden, the former Santander Bank building and the Deppe shoe store. Almost all of these properties currently share a common fate: vacancy.
The entrance still looks temporary – but a department of the Bocholt district court has moved in here. © Stefan Prinz
Mysterious change of ownership
The row of houses that has shaped the square’s image for decades is in an obvious state of decay. There is talk of “junk real estate” doing the rounds among real estate experts.
Now, after the change of ownership, there is a lot of speculation about the future of these buildings. What is striking is the silence of the new owner, an entrepreneur from Bocholt, who has not yet responded to any inquiries from our newspaper. This adds to the uncertainty and rumors currently circulating in the city. There are rumors that the row of houses could possibly be demolished. But without an official statement, this remains pure speculation.
Probation services move in
St.-Georg-Platz was once a lively hub in the city center. But with the closure of the Deppe shoe store last year and the abandonment of the traditional Café Voß, the situation has worsened further. The former Santander Bank building has also been empty for years since the branch was closed in March 2018.
That has just changed. After renovations in recent years, the district court’s probation department has now moved in there. The new entrance still looks very temporary, but the building is alive again. According to Elisabeth Hopmann, director of the district court, the move of the probation service, which is currently located on Bocholter Münsterstrasse, should be completed “at the end of this summer”.
Other properties on St.-Georg-Platz were also the subject of sales and speculation until recently. Two apartment buildings with a total of eight residential units and two shops were for sale. The purchase price was put at around 1.1 million euros, but the condition of the buildings was described in the sales advertisement as “in need of renovation”. The One World store, which uses one of the storefronts, still has a current rental agreement until the end of this year.
Despite the current vacancy, real estate experts see long-term potential in the location of the buildings. With an unobstructed view and the central position in Bocholt’s city center, St.-Georg-Platz could definitely become more attractive again – provided that the new owner invests in the urgently needed renovation of the property and develops a viable concept for its use.
Restaurant Mythos
The Bocholt building contractor Rudolf Schmeing is not the new owner of the row of houses on St.-Georg-Platz. But he owns the corner building between the market and the square. New life will soon be moving in there: the Greek restaurant Mythos is moving into the empty rooms. For this purpose, the premises of the former women’s fashion store “Nuova Moda” will be expanded, creating a total area of 200 square meters. An exact opening date has not yet been set. The property owners Rudolf and Jan Schmeing see great potential in the location and are also planning outdoor dining. The myth’s previous location on Langenbergstrasse has not yet been reused.
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