Cheers to unpleasantness: Bad weather spoils the beer garden season

2023-05-12T03:40:10.865Z

Highlights: The beer gardens have been pretty spoiled at the beginning of the season. Not only are revenues falling, costs are also rising. Rising costs for personnel, energy and food are forcing landlords to raise prices. The Kugler Alm in Oberhaching was open for the first time this year on the first Sunday in May. The Gasthaus Lohhof brewery in Unterschleissheim was only open for five days until 8 May. At the Garching mill park, electricity costs have quadrupled.

With an umbrella instead of sunglasses: Simon Angermair, landlord of the Mühlenpark beer garden in Garching, had really imagined the start of the beer garden season to be different. It was only able to open five days this year. © Dieter Michalek

The persistently lousy weather spoils the season for the beer gardens. In addition, there are rising costs for personnel, energy and food, which are forcing landlords to raise prices.

County – Due to the lousy spring weather, the beer gardens have been pretty spoiled at the beginning of the season. And not only are revenues falling, costs are also rising. "We made about two-thirds less income from the beer garden than we did last April," estimates Rina den Drijver from Waldgasthof Buchenhain. Until the beginning of May, the restaurant was only open on two weekends. A stark contrast to last year, when the shop in Buchenhain was full from March.

"Situation is difficult"

Other beer gardens are in a similar situation. The Kugler Alm in Oberhaching was open for the first time this year on the first Sunday in May. The mill park in Garching was open for just five days until 8 May. And Natalie Bayer, who works in the reception department at the Großhesselohe forestry company, also confirms that she can "count on one hand" the opening hours. The owner of the Gasthaus Lohhof brewery in Unterschleissheim, Marcus Haniel, agrees with the complaints: "It's the first time in 13 years that April wasn't a good month." He always tries to stay positive, but the current situation is "admittedly difficult".

Costs increased

At the same time, the costs for the innkeepers have also risen, for example for beer and food. "The suppliers also demand the energy lump sum from us," reports Haniel von Haimhausen. Rina den Drijver estimates that suppliers have raised prices four times in recent months. Simon Angermair, landlord of the Mühlenpark in Garching, says that he had to raise the prices of his baked goods in the beer garden because of the high cost of food.

Staff shortages

Staff has also become significantly more expensive, the innkeepers surveyed confirm. "In addition, our staff is recruited, but they have nothing to do," explains Natalie Bayer from Waldwirtschaft. Other beer gardens, on the other hand, are suffering from staff shortages. "We wouldn't have been able to supply a full beer garden with so few waiters anyway," says Rina den Drijver. The Neuwirt in Ismaning has hired many apprentices to compensate for its lack of staff.

When the sun is shining, the guests come too, says Ingmar Schwinn, operations manager of the Kugler Alm Oberhaching. © Msp

Energy costs have risen by far the most and are a major concern for hosts. At the Garching mill park, electricity costs have quadrupled. Things don't look much better at Gasthaus Lohhof. According to Haniel von Haimhausen, energy costs there have risen by 50 to 60 percent.

Prices increased

These difficult circumstances force the landlords to raise prices on their part as well. The Kugler Alm only increased its prices at the beginning of May. Thus, the sausage salad now costs 9.20 euros instead of 8.20 euros. The price of the Obazda has also risen by 40 cents to 8.20 euros. The Mühlenpark in Garching has increased the price of its sausage salad by one euro to 7.50 euros. While half a litre of pale beer from the barrel at the Gasthaus Lohhof brewery cost 3.20 euros before Corona, a guest now pays 4.20 euros for it. "Because of the price increases, guests are becoming more selective when deciding which beer garden to go to," says Haniel, "and of course they expect better performance for the increased price."

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The desire for a beer garden is here

The hosts are hoping for better weather. "Since Corona is over, we want to take advantage of every beautiful day," says Simon Angermair from Mühlenpark Garching. Ingmar Schwinn, operations manager of the Kugler Alm Oberhaching reports: "When we are open on a sunny day, there are plenty of guests." So there is definitely a desire for the beer garden among the people in the district. So when the weather finally gets better, the beer gardens will hopefully fill up again.