The Lord Mayor of Tübingen, Boris Palmer, has written a fire letter to the Minister of Economic Affairs Peter Altmaier and draws a gloomy future scenario for inner cities.
- The trade in the German inner cities is through the Lockdown massively threatened.
- Many shops are threatened with ruin because they are insufficient or insufficient Financial aid receive.
- Mayor of Tübingen appeals to the Federal Minister of Economics and calls for immediate action.
Thübingen – The Lord Mayor the city of Tübingen, Boris Palmer (Greens), has a dunning letter to the Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier (CDU). As the picture reported, the letter originated from anxiety the continued existence of the Inner cities of Germany. Palmer describe in his Letter of appeal the Old town of Tübingen as a place that is actually characterized by a “lively mix of living, culture, gastronomy, trade and commerce”. The trade, which takes place mainly on the ground floors of the houses in the old town, is an “indispensable attraction” that brings people together in the city.
This “lively mix” and its attraction to people give way according to that Lord Mayor of Tübingen a desolation. He emphasizes that the German cities Without trade, they are not recognizable: “How empty and barren it looks then can be felt immediately, since most of the shop doors remain closed.” In his letter, he emphasizes that it is debatable whether these closings are still necessary.
Downtown dying due to lockdown: Palmer calls for a rethink
Palmer According to information from the picture, it is primarily about not letting the city centers become extinct and especially the shops that are closed because of the Lockdowns had to close before ruin to preserve.
In his Dunning letter he refers to the Switzerland, in which there is no trade ban in the cities. According to Palmer exist because of the Lockdowns not only the risk that many businesses go bankrupt, but also that “the trend towards online trading will be dramatically increased and customers will not come back afterwards”. A Desolation of the inner cities In his opinion, this is not only due to the ruin of many shops, but also due to the changed buying habits of customers.
Palmer clearly advocates one adequate financial support von Shops: “But if you decide to close, then they have to Grants be designed so that the business can survive. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. ”With this one criticism speaks the Green politician probably numerous shopkeepers from the soul.
Tübingen: Company “Zinser” hit hard by lockdown
In his estimation, it will be “really tight” for sectors that offer seasonal goods and for large medium-sized companies. As an example, Palmer cites Tübingen’s largest retailer: the Zinser company. This is a medium-sized one Fashion chain, which achieved an annual turnover of 87 million euros in 2019. Now the company will be in the current financial year because of the Lockdowns 35 million euros by the end of February 2021 Loss of sales have to carry. The problem: Despite short-time work and job cuts, Zinser still has to pay almost 40 percent of fixed costs.
Empty Alexanderplatz in Berlin: Due to the Corona lockdown, the inner cities are currently largely empty.
© Annette Riedl / dpa
The company’s problems lead Palmer across from Altmaier precisely: “The winter goods are now in the store, not for sale. The purchase value of 8 million euros is lost. ”The spring goods have already been ordered and must of course be paid for. Through the pandemic conditional closings, the company will lose money equivalent to ten annual profits.
Many businesses can do that current costs no longer bear: “the first bankruptcies are already in the newspaper”. Many establishments in the Clothing industry were badly hit by the closings and could only last four to six weeks.
Criticism of corona policy: Financial aid does not reach everyone who needs it
The The Zinser company According to Palmer, don’t benefit from the state corona aidbecause it owns its own business. Corona aid therefore does not reach an important part of the trade. Palmer writes in his Dunning letter of a “massive disadvantage of the sensible and solid practice of many medium-sized companies not to surrender themselves to the real estate sharks.”
The financial help often do not arrive. As an example, Palmer cites another fashion store in the Old town of Tübingen. The operator can only save her business if she goes into debt by 100,000 euros. She doesn’t get any support.
Boris Palmer (Greens): Burden on the federal budget as a price for lockdown
The appeal is clear: Palmer demands that such companies also receive state aid. The money must flow as long as that Lockdown rule. The dilemma is that Green politician quite consciously. However, he holds the ruin more numerous shops as the price for the relief of the Federal budget for not portable. A burden on the federal budget is the price for the closure policy. In any case, he hoped that one would not be forced to do so after the pandemic in the Switzerland to travel if you want to see lively city centers.
