YES! Amsterdam is becoming one giant terrace party from 1 June
Just a few more nights of sleep and then the time has come: on 1 June, at exactly 12:00 noon, hospitality venues will open their doors again. Finally, we can enjoy a drink and a bite to eat somewhere nice in the city again. Have you already mapped out your terrace route? Then read on, because tra-la-la: in Amsterdam, but also in other cities such as Utrecht and Nijmegen, terraces are going to be bigger than ever.
The municipalities of these cities are giving hospitality entrepreneurs room to expand their existing terraces, so they can still accommodate enough guests while observing the 1.5-metre measures. There is no maximum number of people on terraces, although everyone must sit at a table and keep 1.5 metres apart (except for pairs and people from the same household).
Pavements and parking spaces
Pavements, parking spaces, squares, floating barges, areas along quays, in front of the façades of neighbouring buildings (provided the owner gives permission): from 1 June, all of these may be used, as long as the municipality gives its approval. If necessary, even streets will be closed to car traffic to make terraces possible.
Until the end of terrace season
The relaxation of the terrace rules is temporary and applies until the end of terrace season: 31 October 2020. Interim changes, adjustments and revocation of the temporary permit are possible. If, for example, it turns out that pedestrians need more space after all, the rules may be adjusted.
Steven Vermaas of brasserie Lolita in De Pijp is delighted with the relaxation of the terrace policy. He does not just want to use the bicycle parking spaces, but the entire street. ‘There is a bollard here that prevents cars from driving through the street. So why not use the entire street as a terrace?’, he told local broadcaster AT5.
At least three metres of space must remain on the pavements for pedestrians. Vermaas measures the pavement next to his café and it ‘coincidentally’ comes to exactly 3.70 metres. ‘Precisely big enough for a 70-centimetre table,’ he says triumphantly. If the district does not approve that, the entrepreneur has another idea. ‘We should make Ferdinand Bolstraat one-way, so pedestrians do not have to pass one another’.
Amsterdam as one giant terrace; I don’t know about you, but after months of quarantine, I can’t wait!
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