Blackened remains and a charred building have dominated the street scene on the Hogeweg in Zuidlaren for some time. They are the remains of a devastating fire in restaurant De Rooie Kater, a year and a half ago. Now that the demolition work has started, owner Arie Oppewal can start building a new eatery.
A machine demolishes the last remnants of what is left of the diner. Owner Arie Oppewal and his daughter Michelle watch as his building is razed to the ground. “A year and a half ago it affected me more than it does now. Although I was a bit nervous when I got up this morning,” he says. “It’s really going to happen now. We can finally take the next step.”
A fire broke out in the eatery on May 24 last year. No one was injured, but the property was lost. Two teenagers were sentenced to community service for arson earlier this year. Oppewal immediately suspected that the fire had been set. “Children who were chilling there set a fire and then it caught fire. That is of course worthless, because it was a restaurant with beautiful, old stuff. I lost all of that and that is a shame.”
Nevertheless, the restaurant owner has now put the fire behind him and is starting to build a new restaurant. Oppewal, who also owns two branches in Eelde and Beilen, hopes that a new Rooie Kater will be ready by the middle of next year. “Not much will be changed on the inside, but the outside will be different. With a more modern look,” he says.
(Text continues below the image)