In the struggle against the municipality: - I can't sleep at night

the Smell of freshly brewed coffee fills the Kaffetårnets a few square meters, while the liquid caffeine render out of the espresso machine and into the cup.

Ann McDonald
Ann McDonald
09 January 2020 Thursday 04:00
109 Reads
In the struggle against the municipality: - I can't sleep at night

the Smell of freshly brewed coffee fills the Kaffetårnets a few square meters, while the liquid caffeine render out of the espresso machine and into the cup.

- Værs’go and happy new year, says Abdullah Muhammad Abu-Lifa.

He gives to the two large cups of café latte to a smiley antiques shop, which stands framed in the telefonkioskens opening out to the Nørreport Station in Copenhagen.

The 43-year-old family man and kaffeskænker through the nine year keep your spirits high, even though he's behind the façade is a pressed man.

- I can't sleep at night, because I stand to lose my work, he says.


Telefonkiosken, where he in barely a decade and a half, brewed coffee, shall offer, and in april chose the municipality of its future tenant, but it has changed its criteria, so the choice lands on it, that will pay the highest rent.

Abdullah Muhammad Abu-Lifa fear of the cause of losing his livelihood of big business, which he literally is surrounded by.

Abdullah Muhammad Abu-Lifa has got access to the municipality's rental contracts at other telefonkiosker in Copenhagen to document the discrimination. Photo: Rasmus Flindt Pedersen

the Competitors are numerous:

7/11, Starbucks, Emmerys, Espresso House, Coffee Industry and the Coffee Collective also sells coffee on street corners by the central hub, and according to Abdullah Muhammad Abu-Lifa stand on the spring to take over his position with the attractive location.

- Them, I can't compete on liquidity, he admits outright.


Kaffetårnet serves as a retreat, office and morgenritual at one time.

Abdullah Muhammad Abu-Lifa has been a familiar face at Nørreport Station, where his clients are shocked that he could smoke out in the cold again.

They are following the case, and they put hovedrystende ear, when there is new.

When Abdullah Muhammad Abu-Lifa does not make coffee, he is driving a taxi to feed his family. Photo: Rasmus Flindt Pedersen

In the intervals between serving customers evokes Abdullah Muhammad Abu-Lifa a more than just the red tape process with the Municipality of Copenhagen.

Abdullah Muhammad Abu-Lifas many problems with the Municipality of Copenhagen started in 2013, where the local authority would not renew the contract, even though it - according to Abdullah Muhammad Abu-Lifas - is customary.

Three years later, Abdullah Muhammad Abu-Lifa again gelejdet out of telefonkiosken. This time because the national board of social services should use the to a pr and rekrutteringscenter for municipal projects for vulnerable young people and the disabled.

the Case was reported in the press and ended up on mayor Frank Jensen's office, after which Abdullah Muhammad Abu-Lifas shop was listed for three years.

- Now, I hope, we have created peace around Abdullah Kaffetårn, said the lord mayor.

Abdullah Muhammad Abu-Lifa has hit the coffee across the counter to thirsty customers since 2011, but now he risks falling off. Photo: Rasmus Flindt Pedersen

On the way, Abdullah Muhammad Abu-Lifa back to the starting point in 2013, where the problems began, but he feel confident to box on with the municipality.

They gave me the first mavepuster for gradually a number of years ago, so I know that this is how they work.

- They think that I'm the little kaffemand, they can snout with the law, he says.

Frank Jensen silent

Ekstra Bladet has tried in vain to get a comment from the city of Copenhagen's lord mayor, Frank Jensen.

We would among other things have asked him why the municipality chose a tenant to telefonkiosken at Nørreport Station on the basis of the highest bidder.

In a mail matches instead Mikala Haag Kreiser, who is the director of the Copenhagen Property and Procurement, on the issue.

'the Rent for telefonkiosken at Nørreport has been artificially low and significantly below the rent charged for telefonkiosker with similar location'.

'With the current offer gets telefonkiosken on Nørrevold a rent, which is reminiscent of similar leases and thus becomes assimilated with the other telefonkiosker', she writes.

Updated: 09.01.2020 04:00