Bring your own pizza box (no, really)

In this week’s Buzz:

• Anyone know a good dentist in Bansko who speaks English?

• Grand Hotel & Spa group purchased unfinished hotel project near gondola

• Changes to reusable containers for takeaways in February 2027

• Household & hazardous waste collection campaign this coming Wednesday

• Three retail chains fined by KZP for unfair commercial practices

• New Ukrainian/Georgian/European cuisine restaurant opening Friday

• Bulgaria falls to 90th place in world football rankings

From February, places selling takeaway drinks and ready-to-eat food must accept customers’ own containers under new EU rules

From the middle of February next year, “…cafés, restaurants and similar businesses selling takeaway drinks or ready-to-eat food must allow customers to bring their own container…”

This is all part of a wider EU regulation aimed towards reducing packaging waste. Other measures coming later include restrictions on single use plastic packaging for fruits and vegetables.

Customers bringing their own containers seems bizarre to me, given my understanding of food safety and cross-contamination. What if someone comes to a café/takeaway and wants a piece of pie, their container has had a quick rinse after storing raw chicken. It looks clean, but is it? What if the employee then uses the same serving utensil to serve another customer a piece from the same pie? 🤢 

This also raises another question: could I turn up to a takeaway in town with a used pizza box and ask the staff to put my freshly baked pizza in it? Technically, under this regulation, I could, provided the box was clean and suitable for the pizza. However, a food establishment can refuse to use a container if it's seen as "...unhygienic or unsuitable for the sale of food or drink."

The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency has already raised concerns about potential contamination from personal containers in food businesses, so I guess food safety (re)training will be important come February.

Also, I get the EU wanting to reduce single-use items and packaging due to the amount of plastics and non-recyclables that are simply thrown away (lots of the cardboard take-out boxes and cups are lined with plastic too), but I see lots of people across the country not bothering to recycle anything and dumping it all in general waste, so it just seems a little too far to me.

Read the article here and the EU regulation here.

Su Casa Bistro: dishes packed full of flavour

The Su Casa team invites you to visit for fantastic dishes with a mouth-watering combination of flavours. We continue to bring fresh ingredients, creative dishes, and flavours from our kitchen.

We’ll be taking a short break when we close on Saturday evening (17th) until the 21st of November, so come by to try our homemade dishes, from the bread to the bisque to the desserts. A truly unforgettable experience.

Su Casa Bistro: your home for tasty food, great wine and good times. Want to book a table? Call +359 897 893 932.

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Inside the Bansko Notice Board Group

✍️ 62 New Posts, 💬 172 Comments, 👍️ 634 Reactions

Need a lawyer for a change of business address. Any suggestions?
Eline is relocating her business from Varna to Bansko and asked whether anyone knew a suitable lawyer to help. There were a number of recommendations.

Where do I find a place that sells throws and cushions for my sofa?
Donna wants to buy large throws and cushions for her sofa and wondered which shop would be best to buy them from. Quite a few suggestions.

Is Bansko a soft water or hard water area?
Roy posted asking whether Bansko has hard or soft water. A few people clarified that it’s soft water in town.

Suggestions for a good, local dentist in Bansko who speaks English
Stuart hasn’t been to Bansko for a while and isn’t sure which dentist is best in Bansko who speaks English. A few dentists were recommended.

Bansko & Beyond

A range of medals for ski clubs in Bansko
Close to 150 participants from nine countries competed in the El Tepe Bansko Cup earlier this week (a cross-country skiing competition). Competitors from the SK Bansko and El Tepe Bansko ski clubs walked away with a number of gold, silver, and bronze medals across different age categories. Read more.

Bansko Municipality’s “Enlightener of the year” 2026
The local municipality is asking local residents to submit suggestions to nominate an individual who has made a meaningful, lasting contribution to the town’s culture, traditions and community life. Submissions close 26th of October. Read more.

New Grand Hotel & Spa (near the gondola) after group buys unfinished project
The Grand Hotel group is planning to open a new hotel & spa in Bansko (close to the gondola). It looks like they purchased an unfinished hotel project between Regnum Hotel and Cedar Lodge 4 on Stragite Street, to open a new “large scale spa centre” location of around 7,500 sqm. Read more. [Translation required.]

Other news stories
Here are a handful of other news stories you may find interesting:

• Bansko Municipality reminds local taxpayers of upcoming deadline for payment

• Bulgarian utilities regulator raises price of gas by 6% in October 2026

• Health fund in Bulgaria finds more than €1 million in pharmacy irregularities

• After a few disappointing games, FC Bansko comes out on top [Translation required]

• Three retail chains fined by KZP for unfair commercial practices

• Bulgaria falls to 90th in world football rankings

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Want to know about upcoming businesses opening, early rumours (that turn out to be true), and a bit more insight into what’s happening in Bansko? Join The Beehive. Learn more.

Shop online & receive packages delivered to Bansko with GGBG. Regular journeys from the UK, Germany and the USA to Bulgaria. See website for info.

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Events Next Week

Mommy & Baby Workouts
Workout while your baby plays at Moveo on Mondays 5.30pm to 6.30pm and Thursdays 10.30am to 11.30am. Instructor Ekaterina Ulida says, “When this time is shared with your baby, movement also becomes an opportunity to connect and strengthen the bond between you.” Price is €8. More info.

Bansko Run Club
On Tuesday (13th), meeting at 6.30pm at Altspace Central location on Gotse Delchev Street, have a run with others around town, covering a distance of 5km, and finishing up at a local bar. More info.

Household & Hazardous Waste Collection Campaign
On Wednesday (14th), from 10am to 4pm at Macedonia Square (here), you can bring mercury and devices containing mercury, varnishes, paints and painting materials, contaminated packaging, pharmaceutical products, and household cleaning products and chemicals for recycling/disposal. More info.

Therapeutic Cards (Animals as a Mirror)
On Sunday, Monday (12th) and Tuesday (13th), from 6.30pm to 8.30pm each day, Harmoniya is running therapeutic card sessions with Edna Dvir, called Animals as a Mirror. Price is €20 per session. More info.

Nirvana Restaurant Open Weekend
On Friday (16th), Saturday (17th), and Sunday (18th), join the team at Nirvana Restaurant for their opening weekend. A mix of Ukrainian, Georgian, and European flavours at their restaurant/cosy coffee shop/children’s play area for delicious desserts and a wonderful evening meal. Open 1pm to 10pm. Apparently, every guest for the opening weekend will receive a special surprise. More info.

Organising an event in or around Bansko? Submit it for consideration here.

Photo of the Week

All around the colours are changing in Bansko.

Follow @banskobuzz on Instagram.

Before You Go…