Across the board, the hospitality industry in the municipality of Emmen is getting more meters for their terraces. This is the result of the new terrace policy. During corona, the municipality gave catering entrepreneurs more space. Now that the pandemic is over, the municipality has drawn up new rules. One business will keep the extra meters, while the other will slightly reduce it or go back to the previous terrace size before corona. If you add everything together, then there is more than less terrace, says alderman Guido Rink.
Entering a pub or restaurant in the municipality of Emmen during corona was not an option. But outside on the terraces was no problem. To accommodate the catering industry, the municipality literally and figuratively gave the terraces space. Now that the corona measures have been scaled down, the municipality decided to take a closer look at the terrace policy.
Because clarity is desirable, says alderman Guido Rink. “We hope to give entrepreneurs more clarity about the size of their terrace. This way they can make a better estimate themselves when investing in chairs and tables, for example.”
The municipality itself also benefits from clear agreements when it comes to matters such as safety and enforcement. Because here and there there was proliferation in terms of placing the catering furniture. “You want to prevent the shopping routes, the market, events and space for emergency services and the disabled from being compromised.” This has not always been taken into account during corona,” says Rink.
In a number of cases, it was noticeable that some entrepreneurs had moved their chairs and tables a little further. Or huge flower boxes that were suddenly placed near the terrace. And that is just not the intention.
According to the municipality, if entrepreneurs had invested in this, it would have been wise to consult in advance. After all, the municipality is the owner of the land, according to fellow alderman René van der Weide.
Incidentally, the coordination of the new terrace policy took place in collaboration with the entrepreneurs and Koninklijke Horeca Nederland. In some cases, a good solution for the entrepreneur in question has been looked at in consultation. Rink cites Brownies and Downies in the Emmer Hoofdstraat as an example. “In consultation, screens have been removed and the terrace does not interrupt the continuous shopping route.”
The municipality of Assen reported last year that it would give the catering industry the space to invest in their terraces for several years. Otherwise it wouldn’t pay to pull out the wallet in that case. In Hoogeveen and Meppel, it was announced in 2022 that the relaxation rule will no longer return.