Entrepreneurs see Dappermarkt in decline: “Attractiveness has decreased”

On a dry weekday, there seems to be not much going on at the Dappermarkt. The public walks between the stalls with full bags and the market offer are in order. But when it rains everything is different, as visitors, market vendors and entrepreneurs around the market attest. “If the weather is bad, there is nothing to do in the market,” said a visitor.

That’s a crack in the side of food bar owner Erwin van Sluis. “The attractiveness of the market has decreased significantly,” he says on the corner of Eerste van Swindenstraat. “If I look at the figures from around 2010, they are terrible. Then you just see a loss of conversion, even though you’ve had a very large price increase.”

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Van Sluis grew up on the Dappermarkt. His grandfather and father were already there, and he also worked behind the fruit and vegetable stall for years. He saw the day, but has now seen a downward trend for years. He misses customers in his snack bar and opposite his business is the Stanley de Leeuw shoe store. He has also worked in the Dapperbuurt for thirty years and is aware of the idea.

He knows many people in the area and talks to the market vendors every day. “I hear from people that there is a low turnover in the market,” he explains. “So now they have a reason to complain.” The parking fees around the market are a real nuisance, he knows. Today it is 6.50 an hour and that is a barrier, according to him.

The two entrepreneurs remember that people from Almere or other parts of the city used to bring their car to the Dappermarkt, but that this happens less and less because of the high parking costs. According to them, it is not a neighborhood market, but a shopping area that caters to a larger audience. “We are a market with 200 stalls and a large number of shops around it,” says De Leeuw. “Of course, this is not only for the neighborhood, but also for people from outside.”

Discussions were held with the town, but now there is hope that a solution will be found. District chairman Carolien de Heer wants to work hard for this. “People really talk here, so you have a real conversation too,” she says. “I don’t always like it when everyone complains, but it’s better not to say anything at all. Bring it on, I always say. Come talk to me , I can talk back very well.”

According to shoemaker De Leeuw, certainty is needed now. “I think entrepreneurs are always a little faster than the city,” he says. “Things have to be solved quickly.”

Parking fee

In any case, the parking rate will not be changed, the district president is sure about this. “That’s really a passé station,” said De Heer. “That may be a harsh message, but it is what it is. We want a car-free city and that applies here too. Nothing is going to change that.”

However, she is sure that there will be improvements in the market supply area. According to her, the results will be visible next summer. “The first thing is that many people find it a very pleasant place here, so it also has a social function,” she says of the Dappermarkt. “We all want a healthy market. So we asked visitors, entrepreneurs, marketers and local residents what could be improved. We will collect this and then we will make decisions about it so that we can make this market healthy again.”