"Hardly in demand anymore" Zurich rural community loses both village pubs

In Russikon ZH, two traditional pubs, the Landgasthof zur Krone and the Restaurant Metzg, are closing. For the village, this means not only an economic but also a cultural loss.

An era is coming to an end. Peter Weber, 78, has to close Landgasthof zur Krone in Russikon ZH - the fifth generation to do so. The future of Restaurant Metzg is also uncertain. Two traditional restaurants in the Zurich Oberland are facing closure. This is reported by the "Landbote".

"It's sad", says Peter Weber, who has been running the Landgasthof zur Krone for over 40 years. The restaurateur represents the fifth generation to run the establishment on Kronenweg. But the years are taking their toll. "I'm no longer 20," says the 78-year-old. The traces of time are not only visible on his premises, but also on the restaurant's website: a red sign with the words "Temporarily closed" is emblazoned beneath the laudatory reviews.

No more everyday life, only events

The regular operation of the Krone has been discontinued. Weber only opens the doors of the hotel with its restaurant, hotel rooms and its own bowling alley for special occasions. A highlight in January 2025: Theater Russikon will perform the gangster comedy "Alli und doch niemert" on the stage of the large hall - a last gasp of cultural life within the time-honored walls.

Although the business is largely dormant, Weber can't imagine selling the building: "I've lived here for 78 years. If I were to sell, I would have to move out. I definitely don't want that."

A similar fate

Just a few hundred meters away, in the Metzg, the situation is similar. Walter Ehrenbold, 65, runs the restaurant, which has been in his family since the 1930s. But unlike Weber, Ehrenbold is prepared to sell the business. "I have a young family. It's time to pass on the baton," he says.

The property, a building constructed in 1890 and renovated in 2014, is being offered on Homegate for 3.5 million francs. In addition to the restaurant, there are six apartments.

Ehrenbold emphasizes that the butcher's shop is still going well: "There are no economic reasons for me to pull out. It is doing well." Nevertheless, the future of the butcher's shop hangs in the balance. The advertisement does not rule out a change of use - so it doesn't have to remain a restaurant.

The coronavirus pandemic and changing habits

Both landlords talk about the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. "People have organized themselves differently. The restaurant trade hasn't recovered from this," says Ehrenbold.

Weber adds: "Young people are now turning to convenience products or takeaway. Lunch in a restaurant is hardly in demand anymore."

A village loses its soul

For the small community of Russikon with its active club life, the loss of the traditional village pubs is a hard blow. "Such meeting places are extremely important for a small village," emphasizes community president Philip Hirsiger. He fears that the pubs will soon be nothing more than a memory - and reminds us that restaurants in the region have recently been repeatedly converted into apartments.

But hope remains: both Weber and Ehrenbold would like to see successors who preserve the tradition of the village pubs. "Perhaps a new concept will bring a breath of fresh air," says Ehrenbold. But the final decisions are no longer in their hands.