Out after 64 years

Traditional inn closes: “Place vegetates away”

Sonja and Klaus Klathuber had been running the Weststeirischer Hof since 1984.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Familie Kalthuber)

For 64 years, several generations of the Kalthuber family ran the Weststeirischer Hof in Bad Gams. It will close on Sunday. The landlord and landlady are not sparing with their criticism of the town's development. It remains to be seen what will happen to the inn.

The inn used to be known as the Marienhof. Klaus Kalthuber and his wife Sonja have run the business since 1985, before which his parents were the landlords for 25 years. Now, on Sunday, it will be closing for the time being.

"There are several reasons," write Klaus and Sonja Kalthuber. Age and health play a role. "In addition, the children don't want to continue running the business." However, the family also cites the changes in the catering industry in recent years: "Excessive administrative work and regulations as well as extreme cost increases, not just in terms of staff and energy." 

Spa resort only on paper
Bad Gams became a district of the district capital Deutschlandsberg in 2015 as part of the large municipal merger. "Since the incorporation, Bad Gams has vegetated as a district. It no longer has its own tourism organization. The once flourishing municipality is now on an equal footing with the districts of Kloster, Freiland, Osterwitz, Trahütten and Wildbach," criticize the Kalthubers. Since the closure of the health resort, Bad Gams would only exist on paper anyway. 

What happens now? After all, the Weststeirischer Hof has 50 beds, a wellness area, a seminar department, a vinotheque and a restaurant. This will be clarified in the coming months. According to the owners, a sale is under discussion, as is continuing as a hotel and converting it into apartments.

"One less business that was open every weekend and public holiday. There are no longer many restaurants open at weekends in the municipality of Deutschlandsberg," says the bitter all-round view. One ray of hope: The employees have all already found new jobs.