With more than three thousand signatures, owner Robbert van Berkel of restaurant ‘t Wapen van Kennemerland will go to the town hall tomorrow in the hope of getting his enlarged terrace back. He has already cleared the tables and chairs of the extra part, which was allowed to be placed due to the corona crisis, today, because otherwise he risks a fine of 2,000 euros. But the mayor’s answer is loud and clear: “It just can’t be done.”
VVD Haarlem was ‘appalled’ at the news that the restaurant, better known as De Stinkende Emmer, had been imposed a penalty. During the question hour of the municipal council meeting, party chairman Peter van Kessel asked whether there are still possibilities for Van Berkel to expand his terrace. “As a thank you for providing this entrepreneur with a meeting place in the city, for fun in the city.”
Meadow
The extra tables and chairs were on the adjoining meadow. The farmer next to him had already said that he would not mind if the terrace remained there. The Westelijke Tuinbouwgebied Foundation did already object, even when the expansion was temporarily tolerated by the municipality in 2020. On a more spacious terrace, people could sit further apart. Haarlem allowed it longer as a make-up for lost income during the corona measures.
Robbert van Berkel shows how big that extra piece of terrace is, which he cleaned up today anyway.
Terrace must be smaller again – NH News / Fred Segaar
Mayor Jos Wienen is resolute in his answer to questions from VVD Haarlem and will say so in a conversation with Van Berkel when he comes up with the three thousand signatures of his customers. “It was clear from the start that the terrace had to return to its old size, and all catering entrepreneurs knew that too.”
Nature
In addition to the fact that all cafés and restaurants have to return their terraces to their original size, Wienen also finds the situation at the Stinkende Emmer in the Ramplaankwartier special. “The zoning plan expressly does not allow it. It is designated ‘nature’. That is a sensitive issue in Haarlem anyway, but there are also national guidelines for this.”
Destination plan
According to Wienen, if the city council wants to change the zoning plan, an official procedure will have to be followed. And the catering entrepreneur will have to apply for it himself.