Rehlax in Mattersburg: Culinary symbol has to close forever!

Rehlax in Mattersburg: Culinary symbol has to close forever!

Mattersburg, Österreich - The Raehlax restaurant in the Arena Mattersburg permanently closed its doors on May 30th. Owner Michael Reeh justifies this decision with serious economic problems. After an announcement on Facebook, Reeh thanked his customers for the support and informed about the continuing difficulties that led to the bankruptcy registration. High rents, increased employee costs and a lack of kitchen staff were mentioned as the main reasons, in addition to low number of guests, which did not make the restaurant profitable. These challenges are symptomatic of the current crisis situation in the gastronomy, which can also be observed in other parts of Austria.

The REEHLAX, which Reeh only took over by Daniela Berger in April 2023, was originally to be continued as a temporary solution to the finding of a successor. The couple, Michael and Nadine Reeh, planned to give up the restaurant to take care of their offspring born in February. Now the plans have finally failed because the economic framework did not turn to the positive. Reeh clearly expressed that his decision was not made an April joke, but rather is due to a serious crisis.

crisis in gastronomy

The closure of the REHLAX is a concern in a worrying development in the catering scene. According to [Creditreform] (https://www.creditreform.de/aktuelles-wissen/Pressemnungungen-fachbeitrage/news-details/show/Krisengerchenungen-in-der-gastronomie- 48000-closing-2020), around 48,000 catering businesses have been closed in Germany since 2020. The increasing costs due to inflation and persistent problems with the personnel situation cause countless restaurants for bankruptcy. Young companies that are a maximum of five years are particularly affected; Here the 2023 bankruptcy rate rose by 30%. In the case of generally increasing bankruptcies in the hospitality industry, further closures must also be expected in Austria.

Overall, there is a 27% rose bankruptcy value in the catering between 2022 and 2023, which is above the overall economic average of 12%. The increases of taxes, such as sales tax for food at the beginning of the year, also tightened the situation. Many companies fight for survival and find themselves in an increasingly difficult industry.

are there successors?

After the Reehlax was closed, a successor for the lease of the restaurant is now being sought. Reeh hopes that a suitable concept and a capable person who wants to take over the restaurant in the Arena Mattersburg will be found. Until a smooth transition, the question remains open how the catering scene will develop in the region and whether the challenges with which many operators are faced with can finally be under control.

The gastronomy experiences difficult times, and the closure of the Reehlax is just another sign of the far -reaching problems within the sector. How the situation will develop in the coming months remains to be seen.