The local senior citizens’ union reacts with complete incomprehension to plans to organize a winter market and a winter hut in the town center of Neuried with the support of the community. Due to the corona, the citizens’ meeting and other events in Neuried have been canceled, and Mayor Harald Zipfel (SPD) is inviting people to Hüttengaudi. In view of the current Corona infections, this is “not only tasteless, but simply irresponsible,” says Peter Kellner, the local chairman of the Seniors’ Union, also with regard to the fact that traditional Christmas markets are being canceled. The announcement that the municipality of Neuried is supporting a commercial organizer at a winter market with a cultural program is all the more disconcerting.
“On the website of the organizer, the Mayor of Neuried emphasized that he was looking forward to a fun pre-Christmas period at the Neuried Winter Market. In view of the unbroken fourth corona wave, this announcement in terms of cynicism cannot be surpassed,” said Kellner. The concept of a Gaudi hut with a party program is completely at odds with efforts to combat the corona pandemic. Neuried’s mayor Zipfel takes the allegations of the senior citizens’ union calmly: You should be happy if something happens, said the town hall chief on Monday to the SZ. He takes the current Corona situation very seriously. Nevertheless: “If we cancel everything now and find out in three weeks that the numbers are falling again and that events would have been possible, nobody would be of any help.” In his own words, Zipfel is convinced that the organizer will comply with all the requirements of the public order office. “2 G is doable.” A fence with controls as well. After all, this also works in gastronomy, said the mayor. He would prefer people to meet where requirements apply and are checked, and not privately at the garden fence. Or even in an unapproved hut village in the forest that existed in the first Corona winter.
The Neurieder winter market is to take place on the second, third and fourth weekend in Advent, with the hut open on Fridays from November 26th to New Year’s Eve.