Restaurateurs Beatriz Sablonier and Markus Duner are holding a media conference together, in the X-tra of all places.
The bathing establishment Utoquai has many regular customers who are now committed to the continued existence of their kiosk “Open view of the Mediterranean”.
There are two attractive restaurants in Zurich. Both are on the water and are popular: the “Primitivo” on the Limmat and the kiosk “Open View of the Mediterranean” in the seaside resort of Utoquai.
Markus Duner ran the “Primitivo” on the Oberen Letten for years, Beatriz Sablonier the Badi-Kiosk in the Utoquai. However, in the fall, neither of the small gastro entrepreneurs was awarded the contract to continue running their local businesses owned by the city of Zurich. On both occasions, larger players who already operate several bars in Zurich were taken into account. In the case of the “Primitivo”, the City of Zurich’s properties are responsible for the award, and in the case of the Utoquai, the sports department responsible for catering in the city’s bathing establishments.
Beatrice Sablonier.
The end for the popular restaurateurs caused emotions to run high. The landlady of the Badi kiosk put a petition online, which has meanwhile been signed by 6,300 people. It will be presented to City Council next week. Writers like Dana Grigorcea wrote homages to their beloved “Utoquai”, because the pub owner Beatriz Sablonier also organized cultural events in the historically important bathing establishment with a club.
Politicians from the FDP to the GLP to the AL submitted proposals to the city parliament on the controversial gastro awards. Meanwhile, Sablonier and her lawyer, Isabelle Chassé, sent Corine Mauch a letter asking for the mayor’s support. In addition, Freiesicht GmbH took legal action and on October 24 submitted an application for a reassessment to the city council.
Uniform award process desired
Now the managing director of the Primitivo and the operator of the “Open View of the Mediterranean” have joined forces and are presenting their view of the award process at a joint media conference in the X-tra Limmathaus on Friday morning. The place to which the journalists have been invited is interesting. But more on that later.
Markus Duner.
The operators of the Primitivo support the concerns of Freiesicht GmbH, as they write in a communiqué sent in advance. This also includes the fact that the Badi kiosk crew has challenged the decision of the sports department. The Primitivo itself refrains from taking legal action.
The two small gastro entrepreneurs would like tenders for restaurants and areas owned by the city to be checked throughout the city. This is in line with the political advances in the city parliament, in which a uniform ordinance for the allocation and rental of city restaurants is also required for all service departments.
The two restaurateurs suggest, for example, that the schedule of the application process follows transparent rules. This should enable a “respectful conclusion” that allows contracts with suppliers and employment relationships to be terminated in a timely manner.
The justifications for established proprietors who have no longer been awarded the contract should also be “differentiated”. One could orientate oneself here on architectural competitions.
The operator of Freiesicht GmbH and her lawyer also criticize the fact that the event caterers Katja Weber and Isa Hackl, who were awarded the contract for the Badi-Kiosk in Utoquai with Frauenzimmer AG, intertwined with Miteinander GmbH, which has a strong presence in Zurich be. Maag Music & Arts AG, on the other hand, which will host the Primitivo in the future, was involved in founding Frau Gerolds Garten, like Katja Weber and Miteinander GmbH.
Weko checks documents
Freiesicht GmbH has therefore turned on the Competition Commission. On request, Frank Stüssi from Weko confirmed that he had received an advertisement regarding the rental of the catering establishments in the city of Zurich and in particular for the restaurant in the seaside resort of Utoquai.
This week, Weko asked the sports office of the city of Zurich to submit any orders for re-letting the gastronomy in the seaside resort of Utoquai, Stüssi explains by e-mail. This is because questions regarding the correct application of the Internal Market Act have arisen due to the documents contained in the advertisement. Weko will analyze the other incoming documents and then determine how to proceed.
It would be possible, writes Stüssi, for ComCo to make a recommendation on a design that conforms to internal market law or to issue an expert opinion at the request of the authorities.
According to Stüssi, the Internal Market Act contains the requirement that when municipal “monopolies” are transferred, a public tender must be carried out, which must be transparent and non-discriminatory.
Media conference in Badi Utoquai rejected
The two operators actually wanted to hold the joint media conference in the Utoquai baths. This in the last week of October, before the end of the season. But the sports department did not give them permission.
The X-tra Limmathaus then offered its premises to Duner and Sablonier. The choice of location is interesting, as the X-tra is in a similar situation to the other two restaurants: the club should have left the listed Limmathaus at the end of 2023 because it is being renovated. According to the will of the Limmathaus Foundation and the city, the start-up community Impact Hub should take the place of the club. A letter of intent has already been signed.
But the club operators are fighting back and have received political support. The city parliament put the plans on hold in July. The demand: The city council should draw up two usage plans for the Limmathaus, one variant Impact Hub, one variant “X-tra”.
Similar to the X-tra, the last word has not yet been spoken on the controversial catering awards in restaurants or on areas of the city.
