Bankruptcy or lease discussion? Lucerne country inn closes suddenly - but question marks remain

The Mühleholz country inn in Retschwil LU has gone bankrupt and closed unexpectedly. The financial consequences of the Covid crisis could not be overcome, which is why the business was closed. A conversion into a steakhouse is planned, but the lease has not been extended.

The Mühleholz country inn in Retschwil LU has gone bankrupt and ceased trading. The reason for this is not entirely clear at first. According to a Facebook post obtained by the "Luzerner Zeitung", the tenant is said to have apologized to a customer in an email for the sudden closure.

The financial challenges in connection with Covid have not yet been fully overcome for Landgasthof Mühleholz, which has caused concern among creditors. It has become clear that not all repayments can be made by the end of the lease on December 31, 2025, the newspaper continues.

On the instructions of the bankruptcy officer, they had to cancel all reservations within minutes. There was no time to notify guests by telephone. In addition, all customer data and access had been temporarily blocked. The letter also mentions the conversion of the "Mühleholz" into a steakhouse. The owners had brought this forward - "contrary to all expectations" - and had not extended the lease.

Owner defends herself against accusations

The owner of the "Mühleholz", Monika Villiger, defends herself against the accusations. She told the "Luzerner Zeitung" newspaper that they had talked about extending the lease, but had never promised to do so.

Among other things, Villiger is the managing director of Linden-Metzg. Its former owner is Hubert Kleeb. He confirmed to the newspaper the plans for a steakhouse on the first floor of the "Mühleholz". Upstairs there are currently guest rooms and two apartments. The building permit has been granted and construction will start in January.

In recent years, Villiger and Kleeb have repeatedly helped the tenant financially so that she could continue to run the restaurant. But that has now come to an end. The debts amount to several tens of thousands of francs, the newspaper continues. It was also a shame, as the restaurant had always been full.

Tenant should have taken over new restaurant

Explosive: The tenant should actually have taken over the "Mare" restaurant in Hochdorf LU. The municipality had recently bought it with the approval of the electorate, but the cantonal court has temporarily halted the contract negotiations due to a pending appeal on voting rights.

Municipal councillor Reto Anderhub (FDP) has left it open whether the tenant will take over the "Mare" in view of the circumstances, reported the "Luzerner Zeitung".