Important information
Vilnius approved a plan to give aid to restaurants and cafés
Vilnius will help the catering industry that finds itself in a difficult situation due to the pandemic: a plan consisting of ten points was presented. Today the City Council approved the essential points: financial support without imposing charges for outdoor terraces, and compensations for the rent of municipal premises. This is a chance to promote faster recovery of the industry after the quarantine, to avoid business bankruptcies, and to help to safeguard jobs and activities in the city.
In addition to these financial measures, just like last year, great attention is paid to the use of public urban spaces for the operation of outdoor cafés. All the previous spaces in the Old Town have been assigned to this purpose, and new additional spaces are being sought because there is enormous interest in the industry.
“Last year, freedom granted to outdoor cafés in Vilnius inspired businesses and spread throughout the world, so this year we continue by offering new support measures. We understand that the municipality holds only a small part of the possibilities of the state’s involvement in the rescue of the industry, but in this difficult pandemic situation every aid measure is important,” said Remigijus Šimašius, Mayor of Vilnius.
Discussions about which streets of the Old Town should be closed this summer and assigned to pedestrians and outdoor cafés are in progress; last year, there were four such streets, and this year the number will likely be similar. Food trucks are given the same freedom as last year: they will be able to trade throughout the city, except for the Old Town.
Vilnius will also give aid to restaurants and cafés by extending their rent contracts for the corresponding quarantine period (no more than ten years). The Council of Vilnius City Municipality also reduced real estate and land taxes imposed on mass caterers (cafés, restaurants, bars) by 25% at the beginning of March 2021. Implementation of the idea of the immunity passport, which was introduced a week ago by the Mayor of Vilnius, could also become real aid to the catering industry.
During yesterday’s meeting of the municipality and restaurant representatives, it was agreed that Vilnius would appeal to the Government asking to speed up the granting of compensations to this industry. The possibility of creating new projects that would promote faster recovery of the industry after the quarantine was discussed as well.
Vilnius City Municipality will contribute almost EUR 1.2 million to the implementation of all these measures.
Also read:
This Year, over 70 km of Streets in Vilnius will be Greened
During the upcoming greening season, Vilnius Municipality plans to plant approximately 4,000 trees and 40,000 shrubs. Various companies have made plans to gift additional tens of thousands of trees to the city. This year, more streets and courtyards will be greened in the most densely populated... ❯❯❯
2023-03-17
A new square to appear in Pilaitė near the church and the new gymnasium
A new public space is planned in Pilaitė neighbourhood of the capital, next to the newly built St. Joseph’s Church and the Pilaitė Gymnasium opened up last year. The square will be open to everyone – parishioners and residents of Pilaitė living nearby will be welcome to come here to relax,... ❯❯❯
2023-02-14
Vilnius will organise city festivals through open calls for ideas
Vilnius will organise major city festivals and other public events of the city through open calls for ideas. The Council adopted a resolution which will open up the opportunity for attracting to the city's festivals more professionals working in the cultural area and social partners, and will... ❯❯❯
2023-02-14
Let Festivities Begin—Vilnius Celebrates 700th Anniversary and Embarks On Year-Long Cultural Program
Let Festivities Begin—Vilnius Celebrates 700th Anniversary and Embarks On Year-Long Cultural Program Vilnius 700 birthday. Photo by Go Vilnius On January 25th, the Lithuanian capital Vilnius finally started celebrating its 700th anniversary and got the jam-packed cultural program going... ❯❯❯
2023-01-25
European City Leaders Met in Vilnius to Discuss City Roles in Tackling Climate Crisis, Urbanism, Safety, and Other Challenges
European city leaders from Baltic, Northern, and other countries met in Vilnius for the international conference Champion Cities Summit 2023: Champions Think Bold to discuss how cities can handle social, climate, urban development, safety, and other challenges. The summit, organized right before... ❯❯❯
2023-01-24
President Zelensky Awarded Vilnius as “Rescuer City” Just Before Its Official 700th Birthday
President Zelensky has granted an honorary title, “Rescuer City,” to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, for its continued multidirectional support to the people and cities of Ukraine. The title was bestowed just one day before the city’s 700th anniversary at an international conference,... ❯❯❯
2023-01-24