The Woolworth’s chain was very much in the news in the run up to Christmas in the UK. Now, it seems, it is the turn of the German Woolworth’s to enter the world of financial turmoil. Last week it was announced that they had registered the company as insolvency – a step that is similar to filing for bankruptcy, whilst at the same time giving them a chance to carry on trading under strict conditions in the hope of finding a solution to their problems.

My first visit to a German branch of Woolworth’s (technically they are called just “Woolworth”) was in Kleve, near the Dutch border, and during my first years in Germany I was a frequent visitor to the store in Bad Homburg. However, in recent years I have rarely gone there except to buy things that I have not been able to get anywhere else. Indeed, the location at the top end of the Louisenstrasse – the main pedestrian area – means that it is somewhat off the beaten track if you are only in the town centre for a short time.

Possibly there lies the problem. Much of the media criticised the UK company as being modern enough, saying that the stores had not moved with the times. The German media has been making the same sort of claims this week, and yet the two companies were completely separate entities.

Whilst the Woolworths Group PLC in the UK had already split from the main US company in 1982, it took until 1998 for the German “DWW Deutsche Woolworth GmbH & Co. OHG” to follow suit. Since then the German company has modernised the cash desks and introduced new store concepts.

But this, it sadly seems, was just not enough.

The ice rink in Bad Homburg

This week the Monday Podcast visited the Christmas Market in Bad Homburg, well at least part of it.

The market has been split into two parts this year, with the main market being at the castle, whilst there is a smaller set of stalls in front of the Kurhaus.  At the smaller market, however, there is also an ice rink and this was our main destination.

I’m not sure why the market has been split in this way.  It is a shame for the parents of children who want to go on the ice, as they only have a limited selection of stalls that they can visit.  It would have been much nicer to have had everyone on one site.

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The Trattoria Fantastico in Bad Homburg is known to many German TV viewers as “Stein’s” – the restaurant in the ARD detective series “Polizeiruf 110“.

But for local residents it is an Italian restaurant with a difference. Here the guests can order not only from the menu, but they can also be personally advised by the staff.

They help the guests to find their perfect combination of fish, meat and pasta – all freshly prepared and served with the appropriate wine.

At lunchtime they serve set menus in three different price categories, consisting of either a main course and a starter.

The restaurant can also be booked for private events of up to 50 people.

Located just off the main shopping area (Louisenstr.) in Bad Homburg, it is easily accessible for visitors to the town wishing to try an Italien restaurant with a difference – and to enjoy “Mediterranean moments with Pino and his team”.

For more information, visit the restaurant’s homepage:
www.trattoria-fantastico.de