Eastern Switzerland St. Gallen's ban on alcohol in swimming pools will be lifted in July

In the canton of St. Gallen, the Hospitality Industry Act has been amended at record speed. It was only in April that the cantonal council finally passed the ban on serving alcohol in bathing establishments following a Green Liberal initiative. Now the ban will come into force on July 1.

The amendment will come into force in time for the bathing season in July 2024, according to a press release issued by the State Chancellery on Wednesday. The new regulation offers operators of swimming pools and lidos more flexibility and takes into account the wishes of bathers.

In 1994, the government maintained the ban on the sale of alcohol in swimming pools and lidos. At that time, various deregulations were implemented in the canton of St. Gallen, which led, for example, to the abolition of the test for landlords and landladies. However, it was retained that no license to serve alcohol was issued to catering establishments in bathing establishments.

Exceptions were only made if the premises were kept separate from the bathing establishment and no guests were served in bathing attire. The ban led to an "unnecessary bureaucratic burden for the bathing establishments and the municipalities", according to the proposal by the two GLP cantonal councillors Andreas Bisig and Andrin Monstein, which has now led to the ban being lifted.

In the April session at the end of the last legislative period, the cantonal council had definitively approved the undisputed amendment to the law in its old composition. On June 24, the referendum deadline expired unused. As of July 1, the ban is now history.