Linz is fighting for new tenants: four restaurants are empty!

Linz is fighting for new tenants: four restaurants are empty!

The city of Linz is facing a challenge: new tenants have to be found for four restaurants. The Lokale Oberwirt in St. Magdalena, the Cubus in the AEC, the Urbanides and the Lentos Restaurant are currently without an operator or have terminated their leases. This development is particularly noticeable because two years ago all of the city's catering spaces in Linz were leased. Now the situation is different and the city is forced to take active action to close the gaps.

The terminated leases are a result of arrears in payments. The Bergschlössl's tenant, Martin Siebermair, also filed for bankruptcy, meaning the building was empty for almost two years. The FPÖ in Linz expresses concerns about the rapid leasing of the bars and suggests selling the Urbanides and the Oberwirt as an alternative. Wolfgang Grabmayr, FPÖ parliamentary group leader, calls on the city to take economic signals seriously.

Urban gastronomy in transition

However, Mayor Dietmar Prammer (SPÖ) has rejected the sale of the restaurant. He argues that the leasing continues to generate ongoing income. In 2023, the city of Linz's rental income was around 750,000 euros net; Current figures for 2024 are not yet available. Prammer relies on active mediation and transparent procurement procedures to find suitable tenants.

A contract has already been announced for the Lentos restaurant, with the aim of a catering establishment that meets the modern requirements and quality of the museum. This restaurant offers attractive catering options that can cater for both internal and external events. However, the challenges of staffing restaurants have increased and the city is urgently looking for solutions.

Current developments and perspectives

The Oberwirt and the Cubus have been without a tenant since April 2023. There are several applications for the Oberwirt that are currently being examined, but there are delays for the Cubus because the previous tenant has not yet vacated the property. Urbanides ceased operations on July 25, 2023, while a new operator for the Lentos restaurant is targeted for January 2026 at the earliest. There are currently four prominent gastro vacancies available in Linz.

Gastronomy is of great importance for the culinary diversity and the social infrastructure of the city. From small snack bars like Mr. Do's with just 24 square meters to the Pöstlingberg Schlössl with a generous area of ​​1277 square meters, the urban restaurants are an important part of urban life. It remains to be seen how the city of Linz will overcome the challenges and whether it will be able to close the remaining vacancies as quickly as possible.