Since Monday there is also a piece of Bavarian hospitality in Erdinger Land. The beer gardens are allowed to open again - initially until 8 p.m. The restaurants will follow next week and will be able to serve guests until 10 p.m. At the start, the Erdinger Weißbräu, despite suffering from the Corona economic crisis, gives its hosts a hand.
Erding - It was almost exactly two months ago that Daniel Helmecke, managing director of the Erdinger Weißbräu brewery on the Long Line in Erding, had to make one of the most difficult decisions in his professional career. As the first landlord, he locked himself on March 15 and had to send 60 employees indefinitely in short-time work.
“The first week we cleared the warehouses. Then we rinsed all the lines and shut down all the electrical lines, ”reports Helmecke. Landlord Mario Pianka and Helmecke used the forced break to refurbish the kitchen and scullery.
Hotel reopened for business travelers
Since Monday it has been open again - restaurant and hotel. The latter, however, only for business travelers. For holidaymakers he can open again on May 30th, just in time for Pentecost holidays. Helmecke estimates the loss of sales to be a "certainly six-figure amount". Now more and more employees are returning from short-time work.
Tom Eichloff, host of the Herzogstubn in Erding, had recently started out-of-home sales. During the forced closure, he was on the bike a lot and drove out vouchers - an action that was very well received on social networks.
Urweiße huts are free
So that the start succeeds, the Erdinger Weißbräu comes very well towards the hosts. "We provide our Urweiße huts free of charge so that they can use the free bar area as intensively as possible," explains sales manager Josef Westermeier. "This applies not only in Erding, but everywhere." The hosts would only have to pay proportionately for assembly and dismantling.
But not only that. Westermeier also promises the hosts free beer so that they can make the highest possible profit right at the beginning. "Now we all have to pull together so that things go up again," said Westermeier.
Erdinger Weißbräu: 200,000 hectoliters less should be sold this year
Corona also hit the largest private wheat beer brewery in the world hard, summarizes the managing director. “The catering trade takes up about a third of the total output. That has completely disappeared since mid-March. ”Although more was consumed at home, according to Westermeier, that hardly matters. “Supermarkets and beverage retailers only record a 1.2 percent increase in sales.” Erdinger expects sales to drop by 200,000 hectoliters a year.
Praise to OB Max Gotz
The industry is all the more grateful that the city of Erding is accommodating them. As reported, the town hall gives the restaurateurs as much open space as possible. In addition, it does not require a lease for this year and reimburses contributions made in 2020. “We owe that mainly to OB Max Gotz,” praises Westermeier. Helmecke also speaks of a big gesture. Such a step is currently being considered in Dorfen.
In Erding there are Urweiße huts in front of the Herzogstubn and in front of the brewery inn. For him, the large construction site in the city center is a happy coincidence. Because now there is plenty of space for the loosely furnished beer garden.
