Since 1986 you can climb and view the towers of the Zuiderkerk, the Oude Kerk and those of the Westerkerk under the guidance of a Tower Tours guide – but not this summer. The municipality has put the service out to ‘European tender’ this year, with the result that no one is going up anymore.
church towers – NH News
“Insane of course. You just have guides here, just let them do their job. Don’t bother them with that insane bureaucracy.” CDA councilor Diederik Boomsma makes no bones about it. Together with the Friends of the Amsterdam Inner City Association, he understands nothing of the action of responsible alderman Rutger Groot Wassink (Purchasing, GroenLinks).
“It is of course completely idiotic, as if all kinds of Bulgarians, Poles or Italians should come here to Amsterdam to show people around the Oude Kerk? That makes no sense and it is another typical example of an exaggerated and unnecessary interpretation of that legislation by the municipality of Amsterdam,” says Boomsma.
“Typical example of exaggerated interpretation of European law”
Boomsma will ask questions about the matter to Groot Wassink. A spokesman for the alderman says that the municipality – which gives permission to climb the towers – had no choice but to tender the service.
Because no party met the conditions, the tender failed. According to the spokesperson, Tower Tours has been asked to organize the tours this summer, but would suddenly like to increase the rates by half.
No grease pot
Tower Tours itself does not want to comment on camera, but says In a written response that organizing the tours over the years was not a lot of fun. It was a complete surprise to the family business that the annual contract was no longer renewed.
After that message, it became silent from the town hall, until April this year. “Then the municipality proposed to use the same rates as last year, but only for the Zuidertoren. We had to negotiate with the Oude Kerk, but they themselves knew nothing,” said the owner’s son.
Tower Tours says it is difficult to find guides on the spot and the costs are also rising with them due to inflation, among other things. The counteroffer was intended to reach new agreements together.
Previously cost a climb of the 140 steps of the Zuiderkerk is still 9 euros. The Westertoren is being restored and can therefore not be climbed this year anyway.
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