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Insolvency drama in Rheinpark: What's next for the popular park café?
Roberto Campione is facing financial challenges with the Rheinpark Café in Cologne. A bankruptcy petition has been filed and new solutions are being discussed.
Insolvency drama in Rheinpark: What's next for the popular park café?
In Cologne's Rheinpark, the popular Rheinpark Café is under a shadow of uncertainty. Roberto Campione, the operator of the café, is facing major challenges while an insolvency application has been filed for Parkcafé GmbH. This step fell on May 13, 2025, as Express reported. The discussion about the future of the café has attracted a lot of attention in the city, especially because Campione is also running as a candidate for the upcoming mayoral election.
The financial situation of the Rheinpark Café is not easy. Campione attributes the difficulties to several factors, including disputes with Rheinenergie, the consequences of the corona crisis and the general economic situation. Although the café has a high occupancy rate and is booked for numerous major events, the financial reserves are strained due to the current catering crisis. This crisis is also reflected in the broader industry: in 2023, around one in ten catering companies in Germany will have given up daily news.
Future of the park café in limbo
The district court has appointed Jens Olinger as provisional insolvency administrator. Loud Review online Olinger plans to possibly continue operating the café himself and keep all employees. However, Campione sees hope. He has indicated that he can offer financial support and would like to try to attract new investors to the project. “We have to overcome the challenges,” Campione is quoted as saying.
Negotiations regarding the overall management of the operation are ongoing. The decision about a new operator lies with the meeting of creditors. Optimism also comes from the administration: Olinger believes that a new operator can be found. Employee salaries are secured for the next three months, and the café's event calendar is already well-filled until the end of the year. Weddings and other events are secured and will go ahead as planned.
Background and upcoming challenges
The Rheinpark Café was built in 1957 and was originally used for the Federal Garden Show. After extensive renovation work, which the city supported with 6.5 million euros, the café was handed over to Campione in the summer of 2022. Under his leadership, the café expanded with a beer garden, an event level and a sun deck. Campione also runs another café on Gut Leidenhausen, which may also be affected by financial difficulties.
The catering industry as a whole is currently under enormous pressure. Rising food prices, high personnel costs and an increasing shortage of workers are putting many companies under pressure. Forecasts show that the number of catering establishments at risk of insolvency could rise to more than 15,000 by the end of 2024, which further illustrates the precarious situation in the industry.
In these turbulent times, the people of Cologne want a positive turn for the Rheinpark Café and hope that Campione will find the necessary support to continue the cultural enrichment that the café represents for the city.