A student in overalls carrying the “Äpy” May Day magazine. Photo: Emmi Korhonen / Lehtikuva
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Several bars in the Helsinki area have started banning customers wearing student overalls, citing concerns over low spending and the impact on business.
At Bierhaus München, a beer restaurant near Helsinki’s main railway station, a clear sign on the door informs customers that entry in overalls is prohibited. Restaurant manager Simo Kärki said the decision was based on business viability.
“If ten people come in, only two or three buy something. Two might drink their own beverages,” Kärki explained.
He said that student groups often take up space from paying customers and sometimes cause disturbances, including vandalism such as sticking stickers in restrooms.
Students, according to Kärki, also do not match the atmosphere of Bierhaus, which caters to a more “mature” clientele.
“They probably hope for a slightly more adult environment, so unnecessary disorder does not belong here,” Kärki added.
The bar has tested allowing overalls during student pub crawl events but found it unprofitable. At a recent crawl, where 500–700 participants were expected, only 20 students showed up. Of those, one Finnish group bought a single shot and one portion of fries between them.
“The German group was fantastic. Each had at least two shots, some more,” Kärki noted. However, the overall financial impact was minimal.
Despite the ban, Kärki expressed understanding toward students’ limited spending power.
“It is not their fault. Young people are young,” he said. “When I was their age, we had little money too, but now students have even less.”
Interestingly, students from the Sibelius Academy, Finland’s top music university, remain welcome, although not in overalls. Kärki praised their behaviour, crediting cultural differences.
“They come from countries where spending long evenings in restaurants with family is normal. They know the etiquette,” he said.
Engineering students from Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, encountered outside Helsinki’s central library, said they understood the bar bans.
Students Daniil Linnossuo, Matti Keskinen, Pyry Kuusimäki, and Aku Tolvanen noted that during busy weekends, large student groups could overwhelm bars, making other patrons uncomfortable and leading them to leave.
The students said that during events like Vappu, when student overall-wearing crowds flood the city, such restrictions make sense to maintain balance for all customers.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
