Hospitality entrepreneur Geert te Velde considers himself fortunate in that regard. He started his dinner cafe Authentieq during the pandemic, but he says he has an ‘extensive team’ despite the lockdowns. He also has enough people to bet during the TT. “But we have also hired a lot of friends, family and acquaintances to come and help. It is our first TT Festival and that is a huge challenge.”
Te Velde refers to, among other things, all the rules that you have to comply with as a catering industry during the TT, such as the mandatory entry of all patio furniture at the beginning of the night. “It takes a lot of effort to move all that every night. That’s why we have bar tables that we can fold, but that’s quite a significant investment.
New this year is that entrepreneurs have to collect the plastic cups in which they serve drinks themselves. It is the intention that the plastic is recycled, although there are doubts whether every visitor neatly hands in his or her drinking cup at the pubs. “That takes getting used to for a lot of people, including us,” says Koppelpaarden boss Van Urk. “But we are looking forward to the TT again. It really is the week of the year.”
He receives support from his colleague two doors down. Te Velde: “I expect it to be extremely busy and there is a lot to consider. But in the end it is the events such as the TT Festival for which you entered the catering industry.”
Watch below how the catering industry in Assen is preparing for the TT: