Regensburg mourns: Empty bag closes after 37 years!

Regensburg mourns: Empty bag closes after 37 years!

The end of an era in the heart of Regensburg: The Leerer Sack restaurant, a cultural and culinary highlight of the city, will close its doors at the end of June 2025. The lease was terminated by the Paulaner brewery, which has managed the restaurant since it opened in 1980. This reports merkur.de. The Empty Bag had established itself as a permanent fixture since it was taken over by Winnie and Traudl Freisleben in 1988 and enjoyed great popularity in Regensburg - be it for jazz concerts, parties or the socio-political Ash Wednesday.

The brewery justified the termination with “accrued outstanding debts” and the lack of a viable solution to continue operating the restaurant. A construction site that began in August 2024 has severely damaged the location. How mittelbayerische.de reported that renovation work had to be carried out on the roof earlier because roof tiles had come loose and scaffolding had to be erected.

Where danger threatens, action is taken

This dangerous situation led to the restaurant being temporarily closed. In the course of the renovation work, further complications arose: 2,000 square meters of roof tiles had to be replaced because the roof structure was dilapidated and affected by moisture damage. The renovation work can only be determined after an assessment by a specialist company. In addition, to ensure safety, the entrances to the parking lot at Empty Bag and Bertoldstrasse were closed after a roof tile fell down in a life-threatening manner.

The restaurant's financial difficulties were also exacerbated by the cancellation of numerous weddings and celebrations - valuable sources of income that are now missing. In an official statement on the restaurant's homepage, Freisleben thanks the guests and employees and continues to accept reservations until June 27th.

Cultural diversity in danger

Not only the restaurant itself is affected by the closure, but also the municipal gallery and the jazz club. Cinema screenings in the Empty Bag film gallery will continue to take place, but these are currently not barrier-free. However, the gallery remains accessible via the emergency exit on the western side of the building on Trothengasse. The exhibition “I love you so” by former Regensburg mayor Jürgen Huber is currently running there, offering visitors a comprehensive insight into his artistic work.

The fate talks between the city of Regensburg and the Paulaner brewery are planned, but they seem to distract from the fate of the Empty Bag rather than bring about a solution. In this situation, it is to be hoped that the charm and cultural significance of the Empty Bag will not be completely lost.