“I’ve had people here who suddenly burst into tears.” These are no longer exceptions, says supermarket owner Andrea Tolenaars from Moerdijk. Ever since it became known that the village would have to disappear, the uncertainty has been palpable behind the counter. Residents try to continue living as normally as possible, while no one knows whether Moerdijk will still exist in a few years.
Daily life in the village is central to the new series Meanwhile in Moerdijk which can now be seen exclusively via Brabant+. The series follows the inhabitants throughout the year and shows the impact of the impending end. Moerdijk will almost certainly disappear to make way for industry. The final decision will be made later this year.
Social center of Moerdijk
Andrea Tolenaars’ supermarket is located in an extension behind a house. It is the social center of the village. “People come here for forgotten groceries,” she says in the series. “But mainly for a chat. And yes, the disappearance of Moerdijk is a topic of discussion here every day.”
On a quiet weekday, a man comes to get egg cakes. A woman picks up a package. It’s a day like any other. “But in the meantime, everyone feels: these are not normal times,” says Tolenaars. “People don’t know where they stand.”
Unrest is noticeable every day
This unrest is noticeable throughout the village. In the local history room, Peter van de Made shows an old bell, previously used to open the fish auction. Moerdijk was a fishing village for many years. Van de Made was born and raised there.
“I can live with the fact that I might have to move,” he says. “But that uncertainty is debilitating. Should you still invest in your house or not? No one can tell you that.”
The residents of Moerdijk will have to wait another six months in anticipation to see which way things will go. The municipality of Moerdijk has already agreed to the proposal to wipe the village off the map. The government and the province want more time. Clarity will only be available next summer.
