The corona regulations are still being relaxed bit by bit. In the next step - under strict conditions - cinemas, fitness studios and outdoor pools should be allowed to reopen. But are the operators ready? The home newspaper asked.
movie theater
From mid-June all cineastes will get their money's worth when, among other things, the Penzberger KinoP will open. The operators Claudia and Markus Wenzl actually wanted to celebrate their 15th anniversary in April, but Corona thwarted all anniversary plans. "We were able to bridge the closure over a quarter of a year relatively well," says the couple, "because we applied for emergency aid and sold a large number of vouchers."
The maximum number of visitors has not yet been determined
The enormous support from a loyal regular audience makes her confident, says Claudia Wenzl, "although the months of June and July are always very weak cinema months due to the nice weather." Disinfectants, masks and plexiglass protection are available for the reopening in Penzberg. How many visitors are allowed in the two cinema halls with 117 or 34 seats has not yet been determined. There is a completely different problem for the operators: “In our industry there is currently a bit of fear that the compulsory break could be used not only by the viewers but also by the film distributors to offer new types of video on demand to experiment. "
For example, Universal had already announced that during the pandemic, potential blockbusters such as “Trolls 2” could be streamed online for a (expensive) fee parallel to the cinema release (in currently significantly fewer screens, of course). If this business is worthwhile, it could well be that the distributors want to keep it that way even after the cinemas reopen.
"But there are also more and more streaming offers that help the cinemas directly," says Claudia Wenzl. There are distributors who share their streaming income in a brotherly fashion with the closed cinemas.
Gyms
Many of the fitness center and sports studio operators in the district used the break for a thorough renovation, like Sabrina Bendrat from the “Workoutwest” in Schongau. "We not only installed a sauna heater and repainted everything," she says, "but also posted sports videos or recipes for healthy eating online every week."
In this way, contact with customers has also been maintained over the past few weeks. "It was a very difficult time," says Bendrat. The three saunas remain closed, an additional problem for the Schongau team is planning future courses: "We are currently completely in the air and have to see how things could go in the next few weeks."
Mask requirement "not possible" during training
Peter Guffanti, who runs two large sports studios with seven saunas in Peißenberg and Weilheim, is not doing much better. The course offerings range from A for aqua fitness to P for Pilates and Z for Zumba for several thousand members, who will probably only be able to train in limited numbers next week.
Because of the distance requirement, the devices are moved apart, according to Guffanti it is still unclear to what extent you can use showers and changing rooms. He cannot imagine having to wear a face mask during training: "This is simply not possible."
Patrick Bergler is preparing everything for the opening of the Weilheim fitness studio.
© Stöbich
Patrick Bergler regrets that the usual contact with the customer, for example during instruction on the device, is prevented by the corona protective measures. He heads the Cleverfit studio in Weilheim and hopes for the solidarity of the members "that they will remain loyal to us after the reopening".
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A fitness center, he emphasizes, is by no means just a mucki-booth, but rather system-relevant for many people with health problems. Even before Corona, there was a hygiene concept in the studio, "Now we have installed additional disinfectants and plexiglass panes on the counter everywhere."
The coaching team and visitors would first have to get used to the new situation, "because the past few weeks have been a big setback." Also because Cleverfit had just put a lot of money into a complete renovation when the studio had to close two weeks later.
The fact that he was able to do a lot in the home office during the forced break was a double advantage for Bergler: "I had a lot of time for my wife Denise and our daughter Emilia, who was born at the end of February!"
Outdoor pools
Bathing fans and swimming enthusiasts can be happy because now it's fixed: The Peißenberg "Rigi-Rutsch'n" will definitely open its gates for summer operations - "soon", as Ingrid Haberl, the municipal works manager, reveals. Today, the municipal works want to announce the exact start date and more details on the conditions under which the bathing will take place at a press conference.
Memories of carefree bathing days: Rigi-Rutsch'n in Peißenberg has been one of the coolest addresses on hot days in recent years. The operators hope that it will be the same this year.
© Gronau / archive
The aim is probably to open directly on June 8th, if it should be possible again according to the state government. Johannes Meyer, manager of Peißenberg's "Rigi Rutsch'n", already announced that "there will definitely be a comprehensive hygiene concept for all visitors".
Conversion work in the Schongau “Plantsch” is being carried out
While the opening of the outdoor pools in the area is planned from June 8th, renovation work and revision must be carried out in the Schongau “Plantsch”. In order to keep the financial damage in Corona times low, the Board of Directors had decided to move the revision time from autumn into the current closing time with the planned conversion of the bathing water technology.
BY PETER STÖBICH AND BERNHARD JEPSEN
