Restaurants open in many places in protest against extended lockdown

Thús in Drachten was probably the first restaurant to open its doors at 10.45 this morning. Fifteen minutes later, dozens of cafes and restaurants followed. There are now an estimated hundreds of them across the country. The opening is a protest against the extended lockdown.

“It was good once,” says Gijs Werschkull, who has a number of businesses under the name Gys in Utrecht. “As a catering industry, we are a sector that has been severely affected. There has always been strict enforcement. I hope that the mayor sees this as a protest action,” he says. RTV Utrecht.

Werschkull has invited Mayor Dijksma to have lunch at one of his restaurants. Dijksma kindly declined that invitation by email.

Taste Toe in Numansdorp has been campaigning for a day longer. The restaurant was also open at 11 a.m. yesterday morning. “People were immediately inside,” said owner Natasja Hörnemann at regional broadcaster Rhine estuary. “Customers indicate that they want to support us.” It just reopened this morning.

Closed, but now open for a while

“We have officially had the key to the cafe for two years now, but I think we have been closed as long as open. That is an expensive joke,” says Hylke van der Werf of eatery Thús in Drachten. Omrop Fryslan. “We are closed, but now open for a while. We don’t want to hold up the hand every time, but earn the money ourselves.”

“The support is generous,” says Gijs Werschkull in Utrecht. “But not enough, a fine of 4000 euros can also be added. A point has to be made.”

The question is whether fines will be handed out. Many mayors seem to tolerate the action. In Limburg they even show understanding for the action of the catering entrepreneurs. This was already noticeable yesterday in Valkenburg, where shops and restaurants were open. Today, numerous restaurants are also open in Venlo, among others.

Nothing to do with happiness

“I expect the necessary people. Because we also have a number of reservations. So that is positive,” says Louis Klaassens of café De Klep in Venlo at 1Limburg. But he is not really happy with this day of action. “Every month that we are closed costs us between 10,000 and 12,000 euros. The support packages have already been counted down. In addition, we have a debt of 70,000 euros with the tax authorities. Well, are you happy that you can open? to do with joy, but with necessity.”

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