Restaurateurs report feeling left to figure things out on their own, with city authorities seemingly detached from the day to day challenges of Poznań’s dining scene, according to Juliusz Podolski, a respected food critic who studies the city’s gastronomy market.
He emphasized that the Old Market renovation arrived at a moment when the entire industry was already wrestling with higher costs and rising prices. The scope of the project has blocked access, disturbed daily operations, and created friction for both customers and restaurant owners who rely on steady foot traffic.
The Old Market Square renovation began in 2021, and since then residents and visitors have found it harder to reach the area known as the heart of Poznań. This has also complicated the operations of local eateries, as ongoing construction and related works have driven away potential customers and created an atmosphere of disruption with dust and equipment on site.
Podolski noted that Poznań’s civic authorities appeared to anticipate some of these difficulties from the outset. They could foresee the kinds of obstacles not only for restaurateurs but for other local entrepreneurs facing the same disruptions during such a major project.
A similar pattern emerged during earlier renovations of Kolegiacki Square, where four eateries struggled to attract patrons due to inaccessible routes and uneven terrain. The construction activity on St Martin Street followed a comparable course. In Podolski’s view, the city council did not draw practical lessons from these prior experiences and did not implement a workable plan to support restaurateurs during the Oude Market works.
Podolski underscored that restaurateurs on the Oude Market feel abandoned, with little city support to navigate the renovation’s fallout.
The broader consequence is a convergence of the renovation’s impact with a broader spike in costs and prices that have strained the whole sector. Revenue has lagged while the local dining scene has battled a cautious public, unsure about visiting the Oude Market amid ongoing work.
The Old Market had already shown signs of strain, in Podolski’s view, as limited parking reduced its accessibility. Summers used to be a time when gastronomic life thrived, with outdoor gardens and a lively calendar of events drawing crowds. Traditional draws, such as the National Festival of Good Taste, helped attract guests to the Oude Markt, but during the renovation these events were harder to reach or to experience fully.
Podolski observed that while some culinary setups remain in the vicinity, the appeal of eating on a construction site is diminished, and food quality cannot fully compensate for the lack of a convenient experience.
Tourists spending nights in Poznań often choose other venues around the city in the evenings, preferring places that are easier to reach and park near. This shift reflects a broader pattern where visitors opt for accessible options and venues outside the difficult-to-navigate core of the old market area.
Podolski expressed cautious optimism that the Oude Markt could return to normal operation by the 11th of November, a period when locals and visitors might again enjoy the goose meat that has become a popular seasonal treat. Still, he warned that this would be a temporary uptick, and sustained traffic would only return with warmer months. In winter, the Oude Markt’s gastronomes will face a tougher fight for survival.
According to Maja Chłopocka-Nowak from Poznańskie Inwestycje Miejskie, construction work on the Old Market Square is slated for completion in the second half of November, with the overall revitalization funded in part by the European Union. The broader project aims to finish by the end of 2023, bringing a refreshed aesthetic and improved infrastructure to the area.
References to local reporting on Poznań’s urban development can be found in contemporary sources, with ongoing coverage in national outlets that discuss the social and economic dimensions of the renovation and its impact on the city’s hospitality sector.