Innovenate drama in the Rheinpark: How do the popular park café continue?

Innovenate drama in the Rheinpark: How do the popular park café continue?

In the Cologne Rheinpark, the popular Rheinpark Café is under a shadow of uncertainty. Roberto Campione, the operator of the café, has great challenges, while an bankruptcy application for Parkcafé GmbH was submitted. This step fell on May 13, 2025, as Express reported. The discussion about the future of the café has caused a lot of sensation in the city, especially because Campione is also a candidate for the upcoming mayor elections.

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 capacity utilization and is booked for numerous major events, the financial reserves are tense in view of the current catering crisis. This crisis is also reflected in the broader industry: In 2023, about one in ten restaurants in Germany, so Tagesschau .

Future of the park café in the suspension

The district court has appointed Jens Olinger as the provisional insolvency administrator. According to Rundschau Online Plant Olinger, to continue operating the café yourself and to keep all employees. However, Campione sees hope. He indicated that he can offer financial support and would like to try to win new investors for the project. "We have to cope with the challenges," Campione is quoted.

The negotiations on the overhead line of the company run. The decision about a new operator lies at the assembly of creditors. Optimism also comes from the administration: Olinger believes that a new operator can be found. The salaries of the employees are secured for the next three months, and the event calendar of the café is well filled until the end of the year. Weddings and other events are secured and are carried out as planned.

background and upcoming challenges

The Rheinpark Café was built in 1957 and originally served the Federal Garden Show. After comprehensive 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 lead, the café expanded with a beer garden, an event level and a sun deck. Campione also operates another café on Gut Leidenhausen, which may also be affected by financial difficulties.

Gastronomy as a whole is currently under enormous pressure. Increasing food prices, high personnel costs and an increasing lack of workers put many companies under pressure. Forecasts show that by the end of 2024 the number of catering operations at risk of insolvency could increase to more than 15,000, which further illustrates the dangerous situation in the industry.

In these turbulent times, the Cologne -baseds would like 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.