No Christmas lights in Hernals: shopping streets remain dark

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Von: WOM

The Christmas atmosphere in Hernals unfortunately fails to materialize this year. The festive lighting, which usually ensures Christmas splendor in the shopping streets, is not available this year. This is because the responsible Hernals merchants could not apply the financial means to install the fairy lights.

Traditionally, the merchants in the district, as an association of corporate operators, ensure that the Christmas lights are attached. They finance the costs themselves, including the purchase and storage of the decorative elements. Between mid -November and Christmas Eve, the sparkling lights used to enchant the streets like Hernalser Hauptstraße and Kalvarienberggasse, but this year there are only ordinary street lighting.

financial difficulties

The rented costs for the assembly of the lights were above the budget this year. Despite an increase in funding from 50 percent to 75 percent by the Vienna Business Agency, it was not possible to cover the necessary expenses. District head Peter Jagsch (SPÖ) expressed his regret: "I think it's a shame that the lighting could not be implemented this year."

Nevertheless, there are already plans for the coming year. The association's board of directors actively negotiates new financing options and hopes to be able to reinstall the lights in 2024 or maybe even in 2025. The commitment of district head Peter Jagsch to support these efforts is a positive step in this direction.

outlook for the future

An important aspect for the implementation of the Christmas lights is the settlement of financially strong companies in the district. In the vicinity of Dornerplatz and Kalvarienberggasse in particular, new companies are hoped for, which not only contribute to the attractiveness of the shopping streets, but could also support the financing of the lighting through sponsorship. A sustainable solution could possibly be found through additional financial resources to revive the festive decoration in the long term.

These developments are crucial to bring back the usual Christmas mood and increase the attraction of the shopping streets. The merchants emphasize that a stronger economic basis in the district is necessary in order to be able to implement such projects in the future.