AMSTERDAM (Dagbladet): In the Netherlands it has never been worse. This week, several thousand Norwegians were to take the trip to the wooden school country to cheer on the national football team for what was to be another despicable championship qualifier.
Instead, it is a country that is now almost standing still, and is hard hit by the coronavirus’ violent ravages right now.
– The absolute worst time
– Normally it is packed here and now there is no one here, says Gints Savics (32), general manager of Club Prime, a nightclub in Amsterdam.
He has worked at Club Prime for over seven years and says the bar street on the popular square Rembrandtplein is almost unrecognizable.
In the middle of the popular Rembrandtplein in Amsterdam is the nightclub Club Prime.
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In one day, the club has gone from being packed, to having completely empty premises.
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The general manager says the industry is in shock after the new closures that now threaten the nightlife.
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– This has been the absolute worst time this place has experienced, now with corona. Because we are almost not allowed to be open anymore, says Savics.
Last week, Prime Minister Mark Rutte came up with the disappointing news. Lockdown for three new weeks.
All restaurants must now close no later than eight o’clock in the evening.
Here, corona infection is at its absolute peak now, as are several European countries. Germany, Austria, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Denmark and the Netherlands are among the European countries that are now in their worst wave. On the continent, infection rates have not been higher since November last year, when no one had yet received vaccines.
The infection numbers in the country reached new records with well over 23,000 cases of infection on Thursday, but despite the country constantly breaking new records, the country is experiencing large demonstrations against the new infection control measures. In Rotterdam it broke out violent demonstrations last night and Saturday new riots have been announced.
However, the death toll is far from the peaks in November last year, as vaccination has risen.
– Unvaccinated people are allowed to work
Savics believes much of the blame for the growing infection in the Netherlands is being passed on to the bar industry, something he does not recognize himself in.
– For us who work here, we try hard to fight the infection. We control everyone who comes through the doors.
– I really do not understand why we have to close so early, he says.
Recently, the Dutch authorities introduced a requirement that everyone who wants to go to a bar, restaurant and café must display a QR code before entering. This shows whether you have been fully vaccinated, have undergone covid-19 or have recently tested negative for corona, the equivalent of corona certificate in Norway.
In order to get in here at all, you have to go through a strict control.
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Europe has to a far greater extent than Norway used the QR code which shows whether you are protected from entering the doors of bars, cafés and restaurants. Now it has also come to the Netherlands.
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Without this you will not be allowed into the bar.
The general manager says that there is no requirement for companies that they like jobs in the nightclubs must be vaccinated, which he thinks is very strange.
– I have been vaccinated, and I will also take a third vaccine if it helps me to work in the future, something I really want, says Savics.
Must close early
In recent years, where several periods have been with partial or full closure, he describes as really bad.
– Suddenly we were told that there was a full shutdown and no one was allowed to go out. It was like a shock, says the general manager.
He adds:
– We survived, but it was tough.
The nightclubs in Amsterdam are used to being able to stay open until late at night on the weekends, but in the time before the new closure, they could only stay open until midnight.
– It is mostly at night that you manage to make money, because people do not want to go out in the middle of the day, says Savics.
The general manager says the entire nightlife industry is in shock and does not understand why this could happen again.
– But yes, we accept it. Again.
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At the entrance to Club Prime, warning red neon letters scroll on a screen:
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Stay safe and keep your distance.
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Everyone that Dagbladet has spoken to thinks the new shutdown will last longer than three weeks.
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“Zero-percent” contracts
Savics believes this temporary shutdown will last much longer than the three weeks that the authorities have ordered a “lockdown”.
– I think it will only take three weeks. Then they will say two more weeks, then three more weeks and then it lasts until Christmas. Maybe they try to open just in time for the holidays, but then they will shut everything down again, says the 32-year-old.
The general manager predicts that this will be critical for many of the workers in the industry.
In the Netherlands, according to Savics, it is common for many in the bar industry to work on “zero percent” contracts, ie they are not entitled to work a fixed number of hours a month. If there is no work, they do not get paid either.
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– I am lucky, because I have worked here for a long time and have a permanent hourly contract. I’m not complaining, he says.
To be able to manage through such a period, he believes many must have more jobs.
– I think unfortunately many of them will be fired, or not get a job further as the conditions are now. It’s sad.
Risks large fines
Savics has many friends who work in the nightlife and says there is a lot of frustration in the industry due to the new restrictions.
– Nobody is happy about this. It is simply too much, and you notice that everyone is a little more negative this time.
Saturday last week was the first day where the bar had to close its doors already at 20 in the evening.
– People would not go. Everyone was just standing on the streets and no one knew where to turn, says the general manager.
He says large crowds gathered outside the bar, who drank and enjoyed themselves until late at night in the popular square.
The experienced bartender says the police are very strict in meeting the deadline. If there are any guests inside the doors when the clock strikes eight, Savics believes there is a great danger of having to pay large fines.
Far from healthy after 16 months
– When I was cleaning on Sunday, I saw the police drive past at 19.50. You almost feel like a criminal being watched, but that’s fine. Rules are rules, says Savics.
– Hard blow
The large room can accommodate 850 people on two floors. On Sunday, only six people stopped by, and until four o’clock on Monday when Dagbladet meets Savics, there have only been two people passing by the bar.
He now fears how conditions will be in the future in terms of lost revenue when the bar has to close so early.
– What we earned all day on Sunday is what we normally use to earn in ten minutes, says the general manager.
In addition to all restaurants, bars and restaurants having to close at 8pm, shops selling non-essential items have to close at 6pm. In private homes you are not allowed to be visited by more than four guests and the population is advised to work from home as much as possible.
– It will be a hard blow for a few weeks because the virus is everywhere, throughout the country, in all sectors and at all ages, said Prime Minister Rutte during the press conference on Friday last week.
Not expected new “lockdown”
A stone’s throw from Rembrantplein is another popular square. Travle Leidseplein houses several bars and restaurants in a row.
– This is one of the busiest areas we have here in Amsterdam. If you want to go out on the town, you can come here, says Damien, one of the owners of Bar Twenty Two.
Together with the other owner Dennis, he took over the operation of the cocktail bar two or three weeks ago.
Warns against corona pill: – Disaster
Neither of the two wants to appear with their full name, but when Dagbladet comes to visit, they still have a lot to tell about the last period.
– To be honest, I did not expect a new “lockdown”. Not at all. People get vaccines now, so it should somehow get better rather than it getting worse like now, says Damian.
Taking over a bar in the middle of a pandemic is, according to the owner, a big risk, but he hopes it will get better soon.
– It’s really weird, but at least we’re still open, so that’s a good thing. We have also not had to close as long as you had to in Norway for almost seven months.
Malin Nesvoll, best known as “Makeupmalin” got corona in 2020, and one thing she is still tired of. Video: Celina Morken, Reporter: Thea Hope
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– The race was suddenly run
– We still manage, but we have to try and keep the gang that works here. Once we have hired them, we will pay them because they are our employees, says Dennis.
He hopes they do not have to fire anyone.
Nakstad: – I am fully vaccinated
– How long can you afford to pay people who do not work?
– Right now? Not for long, but it’s hard to say. There are other ways to survive, but since we are newly established, we must explore other ways to make money and if there are other opportunities here, says the owner.
One of those behind the bar is Lukas Liska. Despite three periods of shutdowns, he has managed to get through the pandemic and still works as a bartender in the colorful bar.
BARTENDER: – I missed the people and the variety you get from working in the bar industry. In the warehouse job, I died a slow death and counted the days until I could come back behind the bar, says Liska.
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– It has been very difficult in the pandemic. Little stability and things change from day to day. One day you have a job and the next day everything is closed. Especially for those who work on a “zero percent” contract, then the race is suddenly over, says the bartender.
Liska had to take a temporary job as a warehouse worker for a period of time to have an income. A job he longed to get away from.
– Are you afraid of losing your job again?
– No, in the worst case I end up back in the warehouse, but I really do not want that. You never know, things change fast.
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