City lifts ban on beer advertising at restaurants

In the summer, the city council banned new beer advertising at restaurants. The bourgeoisie protested – and received support from an unexpected source.

The beer advertisement is a defining element on the sign of the notorious Bar Strauss on Langstrasse.

Valentin Hehli / LTA

There are restaurants in the city of Zurich that you can’t even imagine without beer advertising on the sign. The “Weisse Kreuz” at Stadelhofen, for example, the “Burgwies” on Forchstrasse and the “Rheinfelder Bierhalle” anyway. A counterpart to the forged cast-iron logo for the little man.

The signets were originally an indication of which brewery a restaurant had a contract with. It’s different today, many restaurants have several brands, and the signs have more of an identity-forming function. As beer advertising, they are often no longer noticed. You just belong.

The city council apparently saw things differently. In early summer, he suddenly announced that he would put an end to this beer advertising: effective July 1, he issued a ban on new beer advertising on the facades of restaurants or bars, justifying this by saying that he was setting a good example in the prevention of addictive substances and the protection of minors.

The previous signs were allowed to remain. But there was resistance to the ban: both the SVP and the FDP each demanded that the ban be overturned. On Wednesday, both approaches were discussed in the municipal council – and promptly accepted. With surprising help from the SP, which is usually loyal to the state.

Effect of the ban in doubt

Dominique Zygmont (FDP) said at the meeting that beer signs have a tradition and are still justified for the pub owners concerned, even if times have changed. It is not clear why the city council has now banned this signet. The FDP have nothing against preventive measures. But he doubts the effect of the ban. “That’s why you can do without it.”

Susanne Brunner (SVP) spoke of an “exaggerated prohibition culture” and believes that the prohibition hardly contributes to the protection of minors. “If you walk through the city and see a Feldschlösschen signet at a bar, you don’t suddenly feel like going in there and ordering a bar.” Rather, the ban would lead to an inequality between restaurants that have a signet and are allowed to keep it and those that cannot attach a new one, Brunner said.

The SP also wanted to abolish the ban. For established restaurants, beer logos are old-fashioned, said Nicole Giger. These companies are also hardly dependent on co-financing from breweries. This is different, especially with small pubs on the outskirts. Most restaurants do not get credit from banks because the risk of default is simply too high. And a ban on beer labels is simply not necessary because new applications for such labels rarely come in. On the other hand, those pubs who wanted to make the periphery more attractive would be penalized. “We should be careful not to make life even more difficult for them.”

The city council didn’t seem too happy with the ban either – it showed itself willing to accept the postulate of the liberals.

The Greens, on the other hand, wanted to keep the ban. “Prevention must come first,” said Dominik Waser. “We still have enough space where alcohol advertising is allowed.” The Greens also rejected the postulate because they are fundamentally in favor of less advertising.

The AL aimed in the same direction. Instead of affixing signets, restaurants could enter into agreements with breweries and display beer logos on parasols or coasters, Tanja Maag Sturzenegger suggested.

In the vote, however, the citizens were able to prevail for once: both postulates were clearly accepted.

Generous outdoor seating may remain

In another area, the city council is also accommodating to restaurateurs: restaurants with boulevard areas may retain the more generous outdoor seating, which the city council had allowed for a limited time during the corona pandemic.

Gastronomy associations then launched a petition entitled “More wow for Zurich” with the demand that this simplification be introduced permanently. The city has now complied with this and has revised the “Guidelines for boulevard gastronomy”. This stipulates, for example, that the number of seats outside in a restaurant may exceed the number of seats inside. In addition, restaurateurs are allowed to use public spaces as long as “essential parts” can continue to be used for non-commercial purposes.

Retailers who want to expand the outside areas of their businesses next year must submit an application to the city. For Zygmont council, that’s too much bureaucracy – “simplifications would be possible,” he writes on Twitter.

It is therefore conceivable that the next gastro advance will follow soon.

source site-111