New Year’s Eve with 2G plus – “The events that took place were well attended” – News

For many, the New Year’s Eve party in the club or in their favorite bar is a tradition. This year, with a record high number of corona cases, this was only possible with special restrictions. The 2G plus rule applied and still applies. So you either have to be freshly vaccinated or freshly recovered, or you have also tested yourself. Unvaccinated people have to stay outside.

It was celebrated anyway. And the night operations are correspondingly satisfied under the circumstances, as the demand from Alexander Bücheli shows. He is the media spokesman for the Swiss Bar and Club Commission.

Alexander Bücheli

Spokesman for the bar and club committee


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Alexander Bücheli is on the board of the Swiss Bar and Club Commission (SBCK). Among other things, he co-founded the Safer Clubbing Switzerland association.

SRF News: What is the festive balance of the clubs and bars under the special auspices?

Alexander Bücheli: Of course it wasn’t a normal New Year compared to the last few years. The events that took place were relatively well attended. The establishments that are open are satisfied. It was noticeable that there were long queues in front of the venues due to the high level of control effort.

New Year’s Eve is usually a record night. This year too?

It’s not a record night, of course. On the one hand, the «plus» means the additional effort involved in testing. Then some of the guests are also unsure whether they should go to a party given the increasing numbers. We are also noticing this uncertainty. But we also didn’t expect that it would be a normal New Year’s Eve or a record New Year’s Eve.

We certainly have 50 to 60 percent less sales than normally during this period.

How big do you estimate the loss of sales compared to normal years?

It’s difficult to say and quantify in one night. But it is important to know that the culture of the night in November and December makes up to 40 percent of the annual turnover in a night club or music club. Of course, that wasn’t possible this year. We certainly have 50 to 60 percent less sales than normally during this period.

The bars and clubs voluntarily introduced 2G in mid-December. At that time you communicated that around 80 percent of the companies suffered a drop in sales. How is 2G plus noticeable?

It is noticeable because it means extra work for the vaccinated and recovered guests. Quite a few clubs have tried to offer corona tests directly on site in cooperation with test centers in order to make it as easy as possible for guests. So you don’t have to worry about an appointment, which would increase the effort enormously to go to the exit. Normally you don’t even have to take an identity card with you to go to a club in Switzerland.

Interview conducted by Sandro Della Torre.

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