Construction site on Schorndorfer Straße: Landlady fights for her guests!

Construction site on Schorndorfer Straße: Landlady fights for her guests!

In Esslingen there is currently a lot of excitement surrounding the construction site on Schorndorfer Straße. Since July 28th, Stadtwerke Esslingen (SWE) has been laying new district heating pipes for the Hegensberg-Süd district. This work will not only lead to a partial closure of Schorndorfer Straße, which is expected to last until September 12th, but also to problems for local businesses and residents.

The landlady of the Panorama Restaurant, Petra Hasselwander, is particularly affected. She initially found out about the blockage through the media and only received an official notification from the Office for Economic Development on July 24th. “This is a big problem for us,” said the landlady. The restaurant is located at the end of Schorndorfer Straße, which is only accessible in the direction of the city center. Your guests now have to take long detours, which has already led to a noticeable decline in visitor numbers.

Another challenge is the diversion route via Kimmichsweiler. This is not only narrow, but also poorly suited for older guests and large delivery vehicles. In addition, a proposal for a traffic light regulation to keep the road passable in both directions was not implemented. The replacement bus stop on Römerstraße is also one kilometer away and cannot be reached by many guests. Despite her efforts to look for solutions in various offices, Hasselwander has so far been unsuccessful. This is the second closure outside their restaurant in three years.

Inadequate communication

According to Hasselwander, the criticism of the city's communication is clear: "It seems as if not enough consideration is given to those affected." Such construction sites are particularly stressful for a catering business. Esslingen urgently needs to learn how important a timely and transparent information policy is. After the municipal utilities have repeatedly tried to maintain a good relationship with their customers and respond to their needs in the past, there seems to be a lack of empathy in this case. Solutions for better accessibility must now be found as quickly as possible.

The situation calls for active communication and close cooperation between the city administration and the affected business owners. It remains to be seen whether a little more customer-oriented thinking can be demonstrated here. Innovation and problem solving are required to regain the trust of residents and businesses. At a time when the economy and hospitality are under pressure, a welcoming and unifying community could be the best answer to the challenges.