Hamburg ice cream parlor in front of the: Construction site has been blocking business for months

Hamburg ice cream parlor in front of the: Construction site has been blocking business for months

Jenfeld, Deutschland - in Hamburg-Jenfeld is currently anything but a party mood. Jens Schöning, operator of the traditional "ice café", is concerned. Since March, a construction site of the Hamburg energy network has been blocking access to its popular restaurant, and thus also sales. "In May our turnover was 42 percent below the previous year. I am seriously afraid that we have to close if the situation does not improve," explains Schöning. His fear is tangible because the summer months are the main season for ice cafés.

The construction site work that should actually start on March 1 have severely restricted the accessibility of the café by barriers and stopping. "Planning is a mystery to me. Why does that have to happen exactly for the season?" Asks Schöning visibly annoyed. In order to draw attention to the situation, he humorously put up a banner and launched a special "Hamburger Senate Memorial ice cream ball" for just one euro. Schöning hopes that this creative protest will bring some movement into the matter.

The construction site and its effects

The construction site of the Hamburg energy network is expected to continue until August 2025. During this time, the ice café remains tight, a fact that not only deals with Schöning himself, but also its loyal customers. "You should take a look at where construction work runs anywhere in Hamburg," he says, referring to the practical information that is available on the official website of the city of Hamburg. hamburg.de offers an interactive map with all construction sites and their locations.

But not only Schöning has its difficulties. The city of Hamburg itself has recognized that it is time to revise the construction site planning. A new strategy paper should focus on better construction site coordination in order to reduce traffic disabilities for the citizens. Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) emphasizes that fewer construction sites could also create a lot of volume. But the challenges are great, explains traffic senator Anjes Tjarks (Greens), who speaks of the need for a better exchange between the various participants Welt .

The search for solutions

A spokesman for the Hamburg Energy Act, Axel Schröder, has already had discussions about possible relief with Schöning. "We want to find a solution that focuses on both the needs of the residents and those of our construction work," he assures. It remains to be seen whether these conversations are fertile or whether the pressure of those affected such as Schöning has to rise.

Hamburg has repeatedly tried to reduce the stowage times through better coordination of the construction sites. According to a survey, drivers were stuck in a traffic jam here in 2022, which is not quite as dramatic compared to other major cities such as Düsseldorf or Berlin. Nevertheless, the CDU has criticized the previous measures as "empty promises" and calls for more commitment of red-green for better construction site coordination . So

It remains exciting how the situation is developing around the Eis-Café. Schöning hopes for the perseverance of its customers and a quick end to the construction site plague - because with half a turnover through the summer, the traditional restaurant could soon be history.