Construction work at the city harbor: Rostock restaurants are fighting for survival!

Construction work at the city harbor: Rostock restaurants are fighting for survival!

The economic situation of the catering industry in Rostock's city harbor is tense. While the sun is pouring over the city today at 22 degrees and a mild wind, the terrace of the popular restaurant “Amici” remains dreary: only two tables are occupied at lunchtime. Lars Fischer, owner of the “Amici”, speaks of dramatic sales losses of up to 45 percent compared to the last summer season, which were caused by the extensive construction work on the quay edge. “It is with a heavy heart that we have to stop serving lunch from Monday to Thursday,” explains Fischer, who also had to cut staff and is realizing monthly losses.

The construction work affects the Christinen Peninsula and includes the renovation of the almost 30-year-old quay, which is now equipped with a robust reinforced concrete quay slab. This measure was initiated by the city administration and is intended to improve the infrastructure in the long term. While the quay is now usable again and the plans to pave and redesign the area with new benches and lanterns have largely been completed, the restaurateurs are fighting for survival. NDR reports that the construction work cost around 2.5 million euros and is not formally part of the large Rostock Oval project.

The worries of restaurateurs

Fisher is not alone in his worries. The neighboring landlord of “Blauer Esel” and the operators of “Ocean’s 7” have already closed at lunchtime to avoid the costs. The situation has hit the industry hard. Fischer even wrote an incendiary letter to Mayor Eva-Maria Kröger to draw attention to the precarious situation. “We had hoped that they would support us with an action plan, but at the moment we don’t see an immediate solution,” Fischer continued. Miro Germanotta from “Blue Donkey” is also desperately wondering whether her restaurant can survive until June 2026, the planned completion date of the construction work.

However, the planned measures to improve the visual appearance through banners and the storage of building materials outside the restaurant areas are met with resistance from the authorities. Mayor Kröger took the restaurateurs' call for help seriously and initiated an internal process. She shows understanding for the concerns of entrepreneurs, but the path to a quick solution seems rocky.

The catering industry in Rostock's city harbor remains in a difficult situation while construction work progresses. The restaurateurs support the project, but their economic existence is in jeopardy. Only time will tell if and how they can overcome the challenges, hoping that summer will soon bring them back to busy business. Also the Baltic Sea newspaper describes the urgent situation and the food for thought of those affected.