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Restaurant in Wernigerode (Saxony-Anhalt): "That is really dramatic for us"
Photo: Matthias Bein / dpa
In view of the corona crisis, the credit agency Crif Bürgel warns of a wave of bankruptcies in the catering trade.
By the end of October, more than 8,300 restaurants, pubs, snack bars and cafes in Germany are at risk of bankruptcy, according to an analysis from which the German press agency quoted.
That is 14.5 percent of the examined companies.
In February - before restaurateurs had to close in the first Corona wave - Crif Bürgel estimated the share of catering companies at risk of insolvency at 10.2 percent.
The credit agency, which analyzed the financial situation of 57,300 restaurants, calculated a percentage increase of a good third (33.9 percent) from February to October.
The situation of many restaurants, pubs, snack bars and cafes is likely to get significantly worse.
"In the first quarter of 2021, every fifth company from the catering trade could be at risk of bankruptcy," said managing director Frank Schlein.
The industry is facing hard times with stricter corona rules: restaurateurs such as restaurants, bars and pubs are to remain closed for the rest of the month from November 2nd, the federal and state governments decided after consultations with Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) on Wednesday Berlin.
The only exception to this is the delivery and collection of food for consumption at home.
For the study, Crif Bürgel evaluated information on the financial position of companies, which provides information on solvency.
This includes information in balance sheets, profit and loss accounts, employee and sales figures or payment experience.
Negative court characteristics such as dunning procedures, debt collection monitoring or general entries in the debtor register were also included.
The Bundestag relaxed the bankruptcy law in the corona crisis.
In cases of over-indebtedness, the obligation for companies to submit an application was suspended until the end of the year.
The aim is to give troubled companies the space they need to apply for state aid and push ahead with restructuring efforts.
The suspension applies to companies that are overindebted due to the pandemic but are not insolvent.
Bavaria is in the best position
According to the analysis, restaurateurs in Bavaria are still the best among the federal states.
There, 11.0 percent of the companies examined were at risk of insolvency at the end of October, similar to Baden-Württemberg (11.9 percent).
The share of restaurants at risk of insolvency was highest in Saxony-Anhalt (20.1 percent), Saxony (19.1 percent) and Berlin (17.2 percent).
In Saxony-Anhalt, the hotel and restaurant association (Dehoga) announced the examination of legal steps against the new federal states' resolutions.
"It is a big disappointment, it is really dramatic for us," said Dehoga boss Michael Schmidt.
"We are not driving the pandemic."
Only the restaurateurs themselves could complain. Dehoga CEO Ingrid Hartges said that evening on ARD that members had already reported who wanted to complain.
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