- café proprietor imposes ban on jogging trousers
A Pforzheim restaurant owner, named Lambros Petrou from the Art Café, no longer serves customers dressed in excessively messy outfits, following some unpleasant incidents with men wearing jogging pants who had disrespected him and even relieved themselves in his flower beds. "We're not a bar, not a dive, but a café," Petrou stressed. Previously, when he approached customers about their attire, they would often retort, "Where's that written?"
Presently, for quite a few weeks, a sign has been hung by the entrance door, stating that both dogs and entry in jogging pants are prohibited, accompanied by a red circle with a crossed-out jogging pant symbol. Petrou clarifies that this isn't about enforcing a strict dress code, but rather about maintaining cleanliness. "The jogging pant itself isn't the problem," he said, "it's the individuals wearing them." He has noticed people wearing the same pants for days on end, which he considers unhygienic. The Pforzheimer Zeitung was the first to report on this.
Restaurant Owners Have the Right to Set Dress Codes
Particularly grey jogging pants are an issue for Petrou. "This type of pants and these jogging pant wearers, they're ruining my business if I let them in," he stated. Financially, he can afford to lose such business. The signs have already had an impact, particularly making young women feel more at ease. He has no issue with wide, comfortable pants or stylish, modern jogging pants. Jogging pants can even be appropriate for some establishments today.
According to a spokesperson for the Dehoga gastronomy association in Baden-Württemberg, such regulations are legally permissible. "Within the limits of their house rights, restaurant owners can establish a dress code for their establishment, which is not a problem," said Daniel Ohl of the Deutsche Presse-Agentur. However, it's essential to adhere to the rules of the General Equal Treatment Act, preventing any discrimination, such as on the basis of ethnic origin.
Petrou's policy is not based on ethnicity or religion. His customers range from 18 to 80 years old, including students, workers, regulars, and occasional visitors. "I've got everything," he said. "But I don't have any rabble-rousers." What's important is that people behave nicely.
His conclusion after the initial weeks: "Everyone feels comfortable, and that's how it should stay." He even plans to enlarge the sign.
Cleanliness vs. Jogging Pants
The people of Pforzheim generally support this decision. Many passersby expressed agreement in a survey. Johannes Engeln called it a successful experiment. The majority of supporters argue for "decency" and that one looks cleaner in jeans. A sloppy jogging pant appearance is suitable for home, they say. Only one man labeled Petrou's exclusion "disgusting." Everyone has the right to live as they choose.
Ohl from Dehoga sees clothing regulations in a broader context: "A dining experience also involves a certain atmosphere, and the guests largely determine that atmosphere." Even swimwear is sometimes prohibited.
Petrou is not the only restaurant owner to ban jogging pants in his establishment. Several years ago, colleagues in Stuttgart and Mülheim an der Ruhr in North Rhine-Westphalia took similar actions.
The Community in Pforzheim seems to be largely supporting Petrou's decision to ban jogging pants in his restaurant, as evidenced by the agreement expressed by many passersby in a survey.
Petrou's move to prohibit jogging pants is not isolated, as he joins other restaurant owners in places like Stuttgart and Mülheim an der Ruhr who have taken similar actions due to cleanliness concerns.
