Friday at 20 stayed all license holders, such as restaurants, shops and bars in the Municipality of Kujalleq, suddenly asked to close the sale and serving of alcohol.
– I was not at all prepared for the shutdown. I was called by a municipal employee on Friday evening who said that there had been a new order and that we had to close the taps immediately, says director and owner of the Arctic Cafe in Qaqortoq, Jim Riis, who is frustrated that there has been no dialogue between the municipality and the business community – neither before the ban nor after.
Friday at 20 stayed all license holders, such as restaurants, shops and bars in the Municipality of Kujalleq, suddenly asked to close the sale and serving of alcohol.
– I was not at all prepared for the shutdown. I was called by a municipal employee on Friday evening who said that there had been a new order and that we had to close the taps immediately, says director and owner of the Arctic Cafe in Qaqortoq, Jim Riis, who is frustrated that there has been no dialogue between the municipality and the business community – neither before the ban nor after.
The ban is wrong
Jim Riis believes that the municipality should focus on specific people and specific issues rather than shutting down an entire industry.
– Many of the people who have challenges with alcohol do not come to the city’s restaurants and bars at all, so they are not necessarily helped by a general alcohol ban. I also believe that the decision hits the young entrepreneurs hard. Some have invested all their savings in restaurants and tourist activities, and they are now completely without income and without certainty as to when they will be able to start again, says Jim Riis and continues:
– We all agree that something must be done about the alcohol problems and the insecurity in the city. And we want to be involved and be part of the solution. The current ban is too broad, and therefore we have come up with other proposals for how we can move forward, for example with the introduction of quarantine lists for citizens who have problems with alcohol, says Jim Riis, who estimates that he has lost approx. 500,000 kroner in revenue already, and that the loss will grow to approx. 1.2 million kroner if the ban ends up lasting a month. That is why he is also calling for a dialogue with the municipality about a compensation scheme.
The children must feel safe
Mayor Malene Vahl Rasmussen understands well the profession’s frustration. But she sticks to her decision.
– I understand his frustration, but in this situation it was just necessary to act. The most important thing is that the children and families feel safe in our municipality. I would rather pay compensation to the business world than pay for three more placements outside the home, she says, pointing out that after the alcohol ban “it has never been so calm and quiet in the entire region”.
– There have never been as many children at weekend football as there were on Saturday, she says and adds that she has received a lot of positive feedback on the alcohol ban from locals.
– The negative feedback I have received is from those who lose money and turnover.
Calls for a comprehensive alcohol policy
The mayor is aware that a total ban on alcohol in South Greenland is not realistic in the long run. But she hopes that it can lead to a renewed dialogue about a broader political effort.
– Let’s get started with talking about a comprehensive alcohol policy. Let’s get started on introducing this on a national level instead of only one municipality doing it, says Malene Vahl Rasmussen and adds that the municipality is already working with the Ministry of Health on concrete initiatives and a gradual reopening of alcohol sales based on the studies that are already available.
Christmas lunch season is approaching
Back with Jim Riis, the hope is that a dialogue can be initiated with the municipality and an agreement can be reached on a time perspective.
– And maybe stop the mayor’s consistent enemy image of an industry that has really done nothing wrong, but which has operated in accordance with the country’s and the municipality’s regulations. And again, we want to point out that the dialogue around the country’s alcohol problems should be taken seriously and constructively at national level.
– The Christmas lunch season is approaching. And we now have an expectation of further large losses, especially when the goods we have ordered for this season arrive, says Jim Riis.
