Aarhus – Hygge

[This is an old post from 2018 as I’m working through them restoring the broken images, but there wasn’t a broken image on this post so that’s easy. Anyway, this whole concept seems to lure some in with promises of warm socks, flickering candles, and the comforting aroma of cinnamon buns. You whisper sweet nothings about crackling fireplaces, steaming mugs of glögg, and the blissful sound of rain drumming against window panes. But then, reality bites. The fire is stubbornly refusing to light, the glögg has mysteriously gone cold, and the only thing drumming against the window pane is the neighbour’s cat, demanding to be let in. But I’m British, I like seeing the problems with situations. BTW, the image is just one of a burger I had in Aarhus as that was the nearest I could get to the concept from my image library that I have to work with]

It’s all very on-trend to talk about the Danish word ‘hygge’ and I’ve seen some British pubs describe their atmosphere using the word. Frankly though, if you run a pub where the clientele have to dodge glasses being thrown around and the star of the show is Fosters and Carling, then there’s a good chance that the concept isn’t working for you…..

I’ve seen how Denmark is often rated as the happiest country in the world, something which I’ve always been sceptical of. I’m unsure of how a country can be truly happy when it doesn’t have any outlets of Greggs, rather like a wine glass without wine.

But the city of Aarhus seems to be beautifully laid-back. People doesn’t seem hurried or stressed, there’s no yelling after drinking half a pint of Carling and there’s an almost care-free atmosphere. I’m not sure that Denmark is ready for Greggs yet, that burst of culinary energy might make them just too content, the inevitable danger is then that their productivity fades. So, just for now, Greggs for the British only.