Catering entrepreneur Nick Willems does not know where the 16-year-old from Gemert and the surrounding area should go next. In any case, they are no longer welcome in his party café Mambo’s in Handel. “The 16 and 17 year olds in particular caused so much nuisance due to drug use, I don’t feel like doing that anymore.”
Nick and Laura Willems have been running party café Mambo’s for almost 10 years. “We were initially located in the center of Gemert where we had room for 250 guests. During corona we decided that we wanted it to be different and bigger. The new location in Handel can accommodate 700 people.”
Also minors, initially. “In the beginning it went great here,” says Nick. Shortly after corona there was a party atmosphere. “Everyone was excited that they could go out again. That euphoria subsided after a while and we increasingly caught teenagers using drugs,” he says. While alcohol is not served among that group. “Young people under the age of 18 wear a special bracelet that prevents them from ordering alcohol. Perhaps that is why drug use is popular among this group.”
According to Nick, that drug use caused all the brakes to come loose. “They came in, something small happened and they immediately started hitting it. And they didn’t stop, they just kept going.” While tough action was taken: “Anyone who was caught was banned from entering for a year. There were already 157 names on that list. The bizarre thing is that parents then ask if their child can be removed because they think it is a very severe punishment.” .”
“I cannot separate this from the corona period when young people could not go anywhere.”
And Nick has the necessary experience in the pub. He worked in the pub at the Stratumseind in Eindhoven for years, behind the bar and as a DJ. “The intensity that young people are now raging about is unprecedented. I have never experienced this before. I cannot separate this from the corona period in which young people could not go anywhere to meet and discover each other. Now they want to discover more quickly, it seems well.”
Youth worker Piet Snijders has been working with young people in Gemert-Bakel for over twenty years. He recognizes the problems and thinks that drug use has become more normal among young people in corona times. “Experimentation with alcohol and drugs happened under the radar, often facilitated by parents who felt so sad that their children had nowhere to go. As a result, use has been normalized and uncontrolled.”
Piet also sees that behavior has changed after corona. “Where arguments used to be calmed down among themselves, things are now getting out of hand. I talk to young people about this and they can’t explain to me why they were going so crazy. They don’t even need a reason. They just want to have fun.” ‘.”
“People over 16 are now left out, they can hardly go anywhere.”
Catering boss Nick and Piet Snijders do not have a concrete solution for 16-year-olds who want to discover and meet. “Young people must be given space and if they don’t get it, they will take it themselves. 16 and 17-year-olds are now left out. They are not allowed to enter many cafes or are strictly monitored. Slowly discovering the club life is now not in,” says Piet.
No more evenings out for the youth at Mambo’s. Even though the door is ajar. “We now hold party evenings on request. We organize planned events. But no more outing evenings with 16-year-olds,” says Nick.