Suche
Mein Konto
Usedom in crisis: Ibbi's harbor café closes - future of gastronomy uncertain!
Usedom loses further restaurants: Ibbi's harbor café closes due to economic difficulties, while Coco Lounge closes permanently.
Usedom in crisis: Ibbi's harbor café closes - future of gastronomy uncertain!
Things are slowly getting tight for the catering industry in Usedom. The city is forced to re-tender its offers after the operator of the “Ibbis Hafencafé”, Thorsten Mann, terminated his contract at the end of the year. As the Baltic Sea newspaper reported, economic difficulties and inadequate framework conditions are the main reasons for this step. Mann particularly emphasizes the sharp increase in costs for GEMA, insurance and health insurance companies, which, together with the lack of planning security, influenced his decisions.
Another obstacle for restaurants at the harbor is the lengthy legal dispute between the city of Usedom and Marinapark Usedom GmbH. This affects the property boundaries at the harbor and blocks the permanent development of the harbor café. A court date to clarify the survey points has already been scheduled for mid-December. Mayor Olaf Hagemann is optimistic and hopes that the ownership situation will be clarified soon in order to establish a permanent port restaurant. The city is planning to find a new operator for the “Ibbis Hafencafé”.
Closures as an alarming trend
But that is not the only loss in the gastronomic sector on Usedom. The “Coco Lounge” on Friedenstrasse in Heringsdorf also had to close its doors forever. For over 20 years, the bar has been a popular destination for night owls, enjoying over 70 different cocktails and a relaxed atmosphere. Like Nordkurier reported, the closure was announced on July 29th on the Facebook page, and the previous tenant's lease expired at the end of the month. Mayor Laura Isabelle Marisken was disappointed and wished the last tenant all the best.
These developments are part of a larger problem. Loud daily news One in ten catering establishments in Germany will close in 2023, which highlights the effects of inflation and the corona pandemic. Around 48,000 businesses have closed since 2020, and the number of bankruptcies in the catering industry rose by 27 percent last year. Small companies with up to ten employees are particularly affected.
Experts expect further closures and an increase in bankruptcies to pre-pandemic levels. The industry is under pressure as rising food prices, higher personnel costs and an increase in VAT on food to 19 percent since January 2024 are making the situation even worse for many restaurants.
The current developments in the catering industry in beautiful Usedom reflect what is happening on a broader level throughout Germany - the industry is facing major challenges. It remains to be seen whether the city of Usedom will find a new operator. One thing is certain: there is still a lot to do to revitalize the island's culinary offerings.