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– Not a pretty sight, says beer enthusiast Sverre Andreassen.
He had never had this as a task before in his time as a Ringnes coach. Now days go by driving from disco to disco to pour kegs full of expired beer.
EXPIRY DATE: Thousands of liters flow down the drain. Photo: Ditlev Eidsmo / TV
– I must say that I am moderately interested in beer since I have this job, says Andreassen.
– What’s it like to see so much beer go down the drain?
– It hurts a little.
Closed doors
At the beginning of the new year, two out of three bars and restaurants are closed in Oslo. It informs the Business Administration, which has the figures from the municipal inspectors.
Nightlife manager Karl-Henning Svendsen says there are a lot of excitement in the industry now.
– Many have accumulated a great debt. They are firm, trying to find solutions to survive. But I’m worried about what’s coming.
He is the leader of Noho Norway, which owns 13 bars and restaurants. Most have been closed since the ban on alcoholic beverages was introduced in Oslo on November 9.
The beer worth several million crowns has expired. It hurts worse.
Thousands of liters in the drain
On the same day that TV 2 is on The Dubliner at Rådhusgata in Oslo, 1000 liters of beer will be emptied into the municipal sewer.
– There is a value of between 150,000 and 200,000 crowns going down the drain today, says Svendsen.
In the coming weeks, its discos will lose up to 20,000 liters of beer, which has cost between 1.5 and 2 million crowns. It is added to what has already expired.
– We have already thrown away values of between five and six million crowns.
Svendsen believes this is an example of costs that need to be offset for the industry to recover from the pandemic.
SOUR AND GRAY: – This beer that customers had reacted to, says technician Sverre Andreassen. Ditlev Eidsmo / TV 2
Two thoughts in my head
Svendsen believes the government should be able to keep two thoughts in mind when infection rates rise.
– We must close and tighten. But at the same time, the government must provide compensation large enough to save viable businesses.
The current compensation scheme lasts until March 2021. It covers up to 80 percent of avoidable fixed costs if the drop in billing is 30 percent or more.
The next payment is made on January 18.
The scheme does not apply to loss of assets, layoff costs, and additional expenses that may arise due to new infection control measures.
– I know that there are many who are struggling economically and who are not sure if they will open the doors again. It is sad because the diversity and cultural offer of our guests is now in danger.
– The worst we have experienced
The Oslo microbrewery opened in Bogstadveien in 1989 and is the oldest in Scandinavia.
– We’ve kept it going ever since, through thick and thin. We’ve been bar-less before, but obviously this is the worst we’ve ever experienced, says owner Fritjof Boye Hungnes.
The microbrewery had its doors open until the prohibition of alcohol.
CLOSED: It has been a long time since these glasses have been used in the Oslo microbrewery. Photo: Rune Blekken / TV 2
– It was mainly to be present and take care of our regular customers. Then there was an abrupt stop just before the important Christmas season.
The Christmas season is the most important period for many in the catering industry.
– It keeps us alive the rest of the year, because that’s when we earn our money, says Hungnes.
Therefore, the homemade Christmas concoction was left intact. One little consolation is that your beer improves over time.
– It has such a high alcoholic strength that it can be kept for years. So when we hopefully start over, we’ll have some fantastic vintage beer to serve.
A debt bomb
He still despairs when he hears how large sums are now flowing down the drain.
– It’s a disaster, because we are talking about a lot of money, says Hungnes.
Now you are concerned about the large debt that many have accumulated due to deferred taxes in the form of VAT, alcohol tax, and employer tax.
– The day the state demands it, I think we will have a big problem. Nobody has the resources to do it, says Hungnes.
– Then we must start over at some point, and we must have a solution to the debt bomb with the state.
Among other things, he proposes converting the debt into a ten-year long-term loan.
– Bleeding slowly to death
– We have a farm owner, who is very patient. Otherwise it would have been the door hook a long time ago.
If the industry is to remain as it is today, there must be specific support, he believes.
– The size of the compensation plan means that you slowly bleed to death. Because it is far from being enough to keep clubs alive.
Hungnes points out that no one wants to be rich in support, but believes Norway benefits from maintaining the professional industry that now exists.
– What has characterized the industry in recent years is that it has become very professional. There are many talented actors in the picture who start out in exciting places and think about culture at the same time as they think about business. The danger is that all of this is lost.
