BVB Budgets Stress; Basel Stages Nightlife Turnaround; Swiss ChocoTech Makes Breakthrough; Kaserne Restoration Contemplated

News For 6 December 2016

 

BVB, the Basel public transportation operator has plans to save 20 million Swiss Francs over the next four years of operations.  However, it has also committed in principle to find those savings without eliminating jobs from any of its 1250 employees.  In order to wring efficiencies out of its operations, the company has been sponsoring employee workshops to develop ideas for where cost savings can be achieved.  However, the pressure of meeting the budgetary goals has only served to demoralize the employees that seem convinced only layoffs could reasonably achieve them.  The Basler Zeitung newspaper reported that according to employees of the BVB, the workshops have on occasion degenerated into near-brawls.

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Just a few years ago, it seemed that all of the nightclubs in Basel were closing. However, new bars and clubs have been opening and putting Basel back on the nightlife map of Switzerland. So much so that Basel has been nominated for 13 awards in 9 different categories for the upcoming Swiss Nightlife Awards in February 2017. Basel is especially represented in the “Best New Location” category with Elysia, Café Singer and Nordstern. However, despite the rapid growth and popularity of the club scene, it might not always stay this way. There are strict regulations in place that can prevent clubs from staying at a certain location for long periods of time. The Verein “Kulturstadt Jetzt” hopes to change this in the future and generally make things easier for nightlife locations in the area.

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Innovation continues apace at the Swiss food giant Nestle which announced recently that it had discovered how to use natural ingredients to cut the sugar in its popular confections without affecting their taste.  Scientists from the company claim that the sugar content in such favorites as Kit Kats and Butterfingers will be reduced by up to 40 percent, all the while maintaining the candy bars' sweetness and popular taste.  The company's focus on reduced sugar comes as a response to both regulatory and market demand.  The World Health Organization has been advising that people consume no more than the equivalent of six teaspoons of sugar per day, less than the average in a can of Cola.  Nestle can also look forward to direct economic benefits from having to add less sugar to its products.

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On the Kleinbasel side of the Rhein river stands the 150 year old Kaserne, which until 50 years ago was an active barracks and is now a cultural center of the city.  At a media conference last Thursday, Basel Director of Construction Hans-Peter Wessels and Basel President Guy Morin promoted a project to improve and rehabilitate the site at a cost of 44.6 million Swiss Francs.  The budget was approved last September, however voters will decide to go ahead with the project during an upcoming referendum in February.  The current plans call for 3/4 of the budget to be spent on restoration and preservation of the facade and historic elements, and the rest of the budget on improvements to the existing facilities.  The dignitaries pointed out that they were keen to see the project go through as a vote for confidence in Kleinbasel's development, as almost 90% of the canton's development budget has been directed at GrossBasel in recent years.