Tallinn's Old Town Empties: Residents Decrease, Many Businesses Close

Tallinn's Old Town is losing its residents—only 2,000 people live there now, and roughly 20% of commercial premises are sitting empty. Local entrepreneur Kai Giomi, who has lived and worked in the Old Town with her Italian husband for nearly two decades, says the area has changed over the past years. They run a small wine bar called "Osteria del Gallo Nero," and she notes that fewer local customers come, making it especially hard for new businesses to survive.

Kristjan Järvan, Deputy Mayor of Tallinn, believes that lowering renovation requirements for historic buildings and allowing more cars into the Old Town could revitalize it. He points out that everyday comfort issues—like being able to drive home, receive deliveries, take children to school, or get to work—are more difficult in the Old Town compared to other districts.

Former Deputy Mayor for Urban Planning Madle Lippus disagrees, arguing that comfort isn't provided by cars. One key problem, she says, is short-term tourist apartments, which have left many buildings without permanent residents. Neither the city nor the state regulates this market, though it's necessary. She cites the nearby Telliskivi quarter as a positive example, where diverse businesses and tenants have created an interesting atmosphere, and suggests the same approach for the Old Town.

Järvan does not think the rental market needs regulation, but all agree that the nighttime noise issue must be addressed. Giomi highlights it as a major problem: bar and club owners often ignore residents' right to peace. She recounts a bar owner telling people at 2:30 AM, "Go live in Viimsi or Pirita—why do you live here?" But she notes that the bar owner probably doesn't live in the Old Town or have small children, so they don't understand the local situation.