‘Unlimited’ Groningen nightlife has more and more excesses and violence: ‘Just choose: I call your parents or the police’

‘Good evening, you speak with Cynthia, catering steward of the municipality of Groningen. I’m here with your son. He is very drunk. I can’t leave him alone. Can you pick it up? ”

It is at the end of March, four o’clock in the night from Saturday to Sunday, as a catering steward Cynthia with the phone of a boy calling his parents. She saw him lying on the street in the entertainment area in Groningen. Together with her colleague Anouar – because of their work as security guards, they do not want to be in the newspaper surname – she wore him to the sidewalk. And they tried to find out with whom he had been out and why he was alone on the street. “What did you have? Only alcohol? That seems strong to me. A taxi will not bring you home anymore. You have two options: being picked up or with the police.” And so the boy unlocked his phone so that Cynthia could call his parents.

In the nightlife of Groningen, no less than 63 percent of people felt unsafe in 2024

Since January this year, the municipality of Groningen has been renting catering stewards on Friday and Saturday nights to improve the atmosphere in the public space in the entertainment area. Safe going out in Groningen is under pressure, says Mirjam van ‘t Veld, interim mayor since last October. “There is more violence. We see increasing forms of sexual cross -border behavior and intimidation, undermining in the hospitality industry, excessive use of alcohol and drugs and minors causing nuisance on the street.”

The municipality does not have figures on the number of incidents. Groningen is currently having researched the entertainment area. Based on the results, the municipality, police and hospitality industry together make a plan of action.

Unsafe

Van ‘t Veld points to an investigation that city blog Sikkom Last year among 1,231 people who went out in Groningen in 2023: 61 percent said they were assaulted or touched. “I was shocked. That is not possible: everyone must feel safe in the nightlife.”

Research that the municipality had carried out in December last year also shows that 63 percent of the people who went to step in 2024 in Groningen felt unsafe. Especially on the street and in the entertainment area they did not feel safe, often due to other people’s aggressive behavior or alcohol and drug use.

The fact that Groningen has no closing times contributes to the unique character of this city

“It’s double,” says Van ‘t Veld. “On the one hand we have a pleasant and vibrant nightlife, we are proud of that, on the other hand you don’t want to close your eyes to the problems.”

The introduction of a closing time is one of the measures that is included in the investigation. In Groningen, entertainment venues have had no closing time since the 1970s. The city is known for that. Something is open at any time of the night where partying can be done.

But late at night the atmosphere turns, says Van ‘t Veld. “Then the problems arise, often due to a combination of drinks and drugs. We see more and more incidents with stab or other weapons.” In October the mayor closed a nightclub after a man was injured at a shooting incident at six in the morning.

‘Iconic’

A majority of the city council is against the introduction of closing times. “That Groningen does not have it contributes to the unique character of the city,” said Student & Stad councilor Daan Swets during a council meeting at the end of January.

Misha Pchenencnikov, night mayor of Groningen, is also against closing times. Pchenitchnikov has a lot of contact with hospitality entrepreneurs, police, municipality and entertainment crowd. From that network he learns that it is not a good idea to set a closing time. “It is iconic and distinctive for Groningen that there is no closing time,” says the night mayor.

Van ‘t Veld does not want to put something around a fence in advance, “but has the adjustment of closing times examined. “There was the impression that I was out at closing times. But I have no opinion about that yet. I want an open investigation about the possibilities.”

Pub

In two duos the stewards run through the entertainment area, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. In striking bright blue jackets they walk through the Poelestraat, Peperstraat, the Oosterstraat and the Grote Markt. They help people who do not feel well through the use of alcohol or drugs, soothes and support security guards.

They discuss their expectations in advance, but only against one or two hours do you know what the night it will be, says Anouar. “In Groningen, nightlife starts late.”

Dozens of laps walk Cynthia and Anouar. The alleys become the later the nasty. There is vomit, it smells like urine. Men are peeing too wild. Twice they are men who are so drunk that they always have to vomit.

They often help people who have become ‘unwell’, Anouar says. Then Cynthia sees a man who walks on the street with a wandering woman. She addresses him. “Take your hair home?”

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