The new pedestrian zone in Diepholz: Citizens and dealers are enthusiastic!

The new pedestrian zone in Diepholz: Citizens and dealers are enthusiastic!

A fresh breeze blows through the pedestrian zone in Diepholz. The official inauguration of the new pedestrian zone took place on Wednesday evening and Mayor Florian Marré praised the successful concept. Visually, the redesigned area where cars no longer drive has triggered many positive reactions. Both business owners and citizens appreciate the more appealing ambience that the city center now offers.

The opinions of individual dealers are mostly positive. Vittorio de Martin, the operator of an ice cream parlor, highlights: "Of course it is now much nicer here than before." Dirk Ahrens, owner of a jewelry business, raves about the new tidiness and the excellent lighting. Henriette Winterstein, a seller at a shoe store, also notes: "Everything is super positive. We all like the pedestrian zone."

optimization of the environment for more quality of life

The changes in the pedestrian zone are obvious. Many citizens express themselves positively about the new design. Tony Cross describes how the road now looks much wider and Dagmar Ullrich calls the renewal a "real enrichment". A broad audience class benefits from increased accessibility.

There is also praise for guests from outside. The Cologne native Annika, who stops in Diepholz by passing through, finds the pedestrian zone "super cozy" and praises the arrangement of the seating. Nevertheless, she notices that in such good weather it seems a little lifeless, which addresses the shop empty stand.

The challenge of the shop empty status

A central concern of many business owners and citizens is the vacancy in the city center. Vittorio de Martin points out that the closure of "C&A" had a negative impact on his business, as this flocked to the pedestrian zone. The unity among the dealers is great when it comes to reviving the pedestrian zone. However, the question remains how this can be achieved.

"If we had more gastronomy, that would be a great thing," says Dirk Ahrens, and also Sebastian Hering, a citizen. He believes that new gastronomic offers would not only bring new impetus to the city center. Henriette Winterstein makes it clear that the city is not responsible for the vacancy and demands more business.

Despite the current difficulties, many express hope for a positive turn. Dirk Ahrens is confident that the redesign of the pedestrian zone will make the city center more attractive for new business. "The hope that someone will be resident here is now bigger," he says. Dagmar Ullrich and Tony Cross share this positive attitude and hope that more shops will be opened soon.

How much the new pedestrian zone can enliven retail remains to be seen. Dirk Ahrens emphasizes that time must show whether citizens will accept the retail that already exists. Vittorio de Martin considers it sensible to observe developments by summer 2025 in order to be able to draw conclusions. "There are already a few signs that more people are coming," said de Martin, "but it remains to be seen whether this trend continues."