Vínbúðin To Stay On Austurstræti, Mayor Says

Mayor of  Reykjavík Dagur B. Eggertsson wrote on Twitter that Vínbúðin, the government-run alcohol concern (ÁTVR), will remain in the center of the capital. The wine shop on Austurstræti will not be closed unless one or two other smaller shops open in the town center.

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When a potential new location for Vínbúðin was announced in November, the reaction from the public was negative. Many people were very unhappy that Vínbúðin would no longer be within walking distance for the residents of the center.

Dagur said: “At a meeting with the CEO of ÁTVR, we pressed the point that the store on Austurstræti would not close despite an agreement being reached on Grandi. He informed us that if Austurstræti was closed, 1-2 well-located but smaller shops in the downtown area would be advertised to replace them.”

Dagur is pleased with the result and says he can well imagine two smaller stores. He has a possible location in mind: “One in the area Lækjartorg/Hafnartorg and the other in the Hlemmur area that would meet the large number of people who live and work in this area or are there as tourists.”