Construction workers are still working hard in the Nieuw Schaijk restaurant in Schaijk. The official opening is March 1, but it is already partially open so that villagers can come and celebrate Carnival. Eighteen months ago the restaurant was destroyed by fire.
Owner Johan Tielemans shows us around the enormous building. “We have 300 square meters more space than in the old building.” The restaurant is divided into four parts and has 200 seats. There are several party rooms and an ice cream parlor. The large central bar in the building catches the eye, but especially the covered patio in the heart of the complex.
On the night of May 14 to 15, 2022, disaster struck. A clothes dryer caught fire early in the night. A devastating fire left nothing of the building. “Luckily no one was inside. I had closed that evening myself,” says Johan, who runs the company together with his father Wim.
That night the world stood still for a moment
The restaurant had weathered the corona crisis well and was full of plans for the future. A renovation had just been completed, but the fire destroyed everything.
“The world stood still for a moment,” says Johan Tielemans. “At the beginning of the night I thought: we are not opening tomorrow. Halfway through I thought: that will be next week. At the end of the night we realized that we would no longer be able to open for a while.”
It was a difficult period, Johan admits. “I was in deep depression and could no longer get out of bed. But in the end we put our shoulders to the wheel with the family. And luckily we were well insured.”
Father Wim shows a painting depicting the cafe he started in 1985 on the corner of Rijksweg and Zeelandsedreef. Over the years it continued to grow into a large restaurant, a household name in Schaijk. It was also clear to him immediately after the fire: “Nieuw Schaijk must return.” And after more than a year and a half of hard work, we succeeded. “We are very proud,” says Wim. “Almost all the staff from before the fire have returned. I like that.”
Fortunately we were well insured
It is clear that Schaijk missed the restaurant. We are now partially open and people are really eager to come to us again. We received lots of flowers and cards.
Back to the covered patio in the middle of the restaurant. This weekend it will serve as a carnival party hall for a while, but after that it will become an inner garden. The glass roof can even open, just like in the Amsterdam Arena. And Johan sees even more similarities with the Ajax stadium. “Yes, we can’t play football either,” he says laughing.
Images of the intense fire a year and a half ago:
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