Businesses surveyed Three open Sundays in Bad Godesberg
Bad Godesberg · The City Marketing Association asked 132 businesses in Bad Godesberg about their attitudes to opening on Sundays. Of the 47 retailers who responded, the largest group wanted three open Sundays.
It is not only Bonn business people who are preoccupied with for and against discussions about Sunday openings – business people in Bad Godesberg are too. To gauge opinion, the City Marketing Association distributed questionnaires to a total of 132 businesses – both members and non-members. Chairman Jürgen Bruder and treasurer Birgit Schallenberg presented the results on Monday.
47 businesses responded. 20 wanted three open Sundays each year and 13 wanted two. Eight said they would be happy with one open Sunday and six would prefer not to open their shop on Sundays at all. Bruder said these were those whose businesses were not directly in the pedestrian zone or who did not have the personnel for opening on Sundays.
Tiziana Domscheidt does not want to do without a single open Sunday. The owner of “Greco Moda” is clear she wants three such days each year. “Of course it’s not nice for the family when you have to work on Sundays,” she concedes. However, it is only for three days a year. Businesses have to come up with something to attract customers to their shops. “For example, we offer discounts or prosecco,” she says. When possible, open Sundays in Bad Godesberg should take place when shops in other areas are closed.
Logistical challenge
Her employees also see such days as something special. Gert Schugt, owner of Schugt leather goods, confirms employees go along with them. There is a rolling system in his shop and everyone must take his turn. “It is a logistical challenge, but it works quite well.” The positive effects of open Sundays are clear to him. They are also a good way of advertising.
“District centres can draw attention to themselves,” because customers on open Sundays not only come from Bad Godesberg but also from Bonn, Remagen and the region. “Therefore we have to see these as long term actions. It’s not just about the turnover on Sunday,” says Schugt. “Online commerce is cutting the ground from under the feet of city centres. We should bring attention to our centres with these sorts of campaigns.”
Good compromise for the whole of Bonn
However, he does not want an inflationary expansion of open Sundays and would not welcome a free choice to open on Sundays. At the moment there is “a good compromise for the whole of Bonn” which unions, churches, marketing associations and towns have agreed and, “we should leave it. I also wouldn’t narrow the offer.”
There are three open Sundays each year in Bad Godesberg. The first was during the car day and the others will be during the city festival in September and during the St Nicolas market in December.
(Original text: Ayla Jacob. Translated by Kate Carey)
