"Night of Light“ event Organisers in the region on red alert

Siebengebirge · Companies from the nationwide events industry illuminate buildings to draw attention to their plight. Restaurants in three regions are also taking part.

The „Alte Zoll" in Oberpleis is part of the "Night of Light" campaign.

Foto: privat

Red is what visitors, passers-by and motorists in the Siebengebirge are supposed to see next Monday evening. With the "Night of Light", the events industry is drawing attention to its Corona-related emergency. As many hotels, restaurants and other event locations as possible are to shine in red light from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. the next morning.

In addition to the "Alter Zoll" restaurant in Oberpleis, the town hall and spa hotel in Bad Honnnef, the Haus im Turm and the Steigenberger Hotel on the Petersberg will also be illuminated. The restaurant on the Drachenfels also wants to take part in the campaign - but it still has to be clarified how far nature conservation will allow this, explains Nicolas Büsch, owner of the events service provider Quint Events, who wants to take over the lighting. He is also trying to win Schloss Drachenburg as a participant in the campaign. According to the organisers' website, the Königswinter vineyards will also be illuminated in red.

The red light in Siebengebirge is part of a nationwide campaign. The "Night of Light" wants to "set an example for an industry threatened with extinction and call for a dialogue with politicians", the call said. Solutions and ways out of a dramatic situation had to be developed. "The event industry will not survive the next 100 days," summarises initiator Tom Koperek.

The ban on major events until 31 August would result in an 80 to 100 percent loss of sales over eight months. This would result in the risk of insolvency for the entire industry, according to Koperek. Nationwide, more than three million people are employed there and an annual turnover of more than 200 billion euros is achieved.

List of participants and further information: www.night-of-light.de

Original text: Andrea Ziech
Translation: Mareike Graepel