local politics
Schwäbisch Hall narrowly misses the “beer price brake”.
Beer at low prices: in Schwäbisch Hall there is a political majority for it. Photo: Bernd Weißbrod/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
What reads like a joke at the regulars’ table causes astonishment not only in Schwäbisch Hall: the municipal council has decided to cap the beer price. However, the whole thing will probably not be implemented.
The city of Schwäbisch Hall is causing a stir with what is probably a unique, but ultimately failed, “beer price brake”. At its most recent meeting, the municipal council decided to promote the pub scene and to cap the price of beer at four euros per liter.
The city should pay higher prices from its pot to revitalize the inner city. A city councilor from the satirical party The party had surprisingly prevailed with its application.
The local politician could have been happy about his success in the committee too early. The city rejected the vote on Friday. The funds expired at the end of the last financial year. “There is therefore no funding available for the municipal council’s decision and it is not possible to implement the “beer price brake”,” said a spokeswoman on request.
Slight majority in Council
The town hall was surprised by the success of the party in the municipal council. “However, due to the satirical content of the application, the administration did not assume that a vote would be required from the middle of the municipal council,” said the spokeswoman. The local SPD spoke on Friday of an embarrassing and poorly prepared vote by local politicians. With 10 abstentions and 8 votes against, 13 city councilors supported the motion.
The beer price brake should “contribute to the preservation of pub culture”, according to the application by party city councilor Tillmann Finger. The “local gastronomy damaged by the pandemic, high energy and raw material prices” should be supported.
However, the catering industry is cautiously keeping its distance. “We suspect that the proposal was not meant to be “serious”,” said a spokesman for the Baden-Württemberg Hotel and Restaurant Association (DEHOGA) on Friday. However, the idea sharpens the awareness of how important a gastronomy-friendly local policy is for the revitalization of inner cities.