BONN. The NRW Ministry of Transport is to provide Stadtwerke Bonn (SWB) with approximately 500,000 euros in funding for implementing the Bonnsmart pilot project. SWB wants to use a new billing system to enable contactless and mobile payment in the 230 buses and 99 trains of the Bonn transport company. According to the SWB, all buses and trams will be fitted with stationary test devices, so-called validators, to enable contactless payment by credit or debit card. The validators will be fitted to the handrails in the entrance areas of the buses and trams. Passengers will hold their contactless credit or debit card in front of the validators when boarding and alighting to indicate the beginning and end of travel. The project will be implemented and tested in the first half of 2020, with the first step being to equip all vehicles with the validators and set up the necessary background systems.

(Original text: buj)

BONN. According to GA information, the traditional Bonn store Knauber is to be taken over by Bauhaus. Originally founded 140 years ago by Anna and Michael Knauber in Endenich as a colonial goods shop selling animal feed and fuel, the first Knauber store opened in 1968 in Endenicher Straße. It has developed over the course of the century into a group of companies with around 700 employees and has a total of six branches, located in Endenich as well as in Bad Godesberg, Ahrweiler and Troisdorf.

GA learnt over the weekend that the Knauber branches are for now sale. The company director, Ines Knauber-Daubenbüchel, who since 1990 has managed the family business known today as Carl Knauber Holding GmbH & Co. KG, could not be reached for a statement on Saturday. It is said, although not officially confirmed, that the leisure store will be acquired by the Bauhaus company, while the energy and power divisions will remain with Carl Knauber Holding.

Like other garden centres, the Knauber stores are allowed to open at the moment despite the Corona crisis. A major reason for the sale, GA also learned, is the ever-increasing competition from online trade.

(Original text: Lisa Inhoffen, Delphine Sachsenröder, Christoph Meurer and Michael Wrobel)

BONN. Christmas lights were still hanging across Rochusstrasse up until last Friday. Even though the shopping street has been very quiet since the corona pandemic, many locals and GA readers were amazed to still see the decorations. Gisbert Weber, chairman of the Economic and Trade Association, explained that a chain of unfortunate circumstances had led to this. At first, it was not possible to remove the lights with a lifting truck because of the storm. Then employees of the company commissioned for the task were stuck under corona quarantine. Finally, just three weeks before Easter, colourful streamers are now decorating the street.

(Original text: Jutta Specht)

BONN. Astronomy on Tap Bonn, a monthly event of public astronomy talks usually held at the Fiddlers pub in Bonn-Endenich is now available online. Astronomy on Tap Bonn is one of the first AoT satellites to go virtual due to #covid19 restrictions on public life. The group is excited to host a live video podcast (vodcast) next Tuesday 31st March at 7pm with Dr Álvaro Sánchez-Monge and the AoT Bonn team. Visit www.youtube.com/c/AstronomyonTapBonn/

(Translations: Caroline Kusch)