The city center of Groningen has become a paradise for yuppies. They enjoy complicated beers and expensive chicken sandwiches. That is actually quite strange, because Groningen is a poor city. Where do you go if you want to eat ‘normal’?
There are more and more nice, tasty and hip shops in Groningen. Take Cafetaria Züderdaip on (indeed) the Zuiderdiep. That no longer exists. The building now houses Mout, a café with specialty beer. On tap: Funky Falcon and Daemon #18 HELL.
Another example: the new Café Willem Albert, named after the Groningen industrialist Willem Albert Scholten. “As a tribute and as a reminder of our shared history,” reads the website. A chicken sandwich (‘polderhoen fillet’) costs 11.25 euros.
Poor municipality in poor province
Anyone who walks around the city must think that the people of Groningen are very rich. That is not true: 8.9 percent of households in the province have a ‘long-term low income’, according to the CBS. Nowhere is this so high. Within the province, the municipality of Groningen is also the poorest: 11.8 percent of households have a ‘long-term low income’.
Recently, Nina Brink (not the controversial entrepreneur) from Groningen walked with her mother past the Starbucks in Herestraat. It was packed. “But who the hell buys coffee worth more than five euros,” Brink (40) thought. Mother and daughter walked on. A little further on is the Hema. For four euros you get a cup of coffee, cappuccino or tea with a pastry.
Eaterie De Globe
Brink works in Eeterie de Globe in the center of Groningen, just behind the Vismarkt. She takes a break and sits with chef Kristiaan Dubbelboer (39) at a picnic table in the courtyard.
The Globe uses ‘old-fashioned’ prices. A meal of the day costs eight euros, a schnitzel with all the trimmings, ten euros. The Globe is therefore not a ‘normal’ restaurant. Nina and Kristiaan guide people who are ‘distanced from the labor market’. In other words, people who are recovering from drugs, recovering from a depression or, in some other way, are unable to work for a standard company.
Hostile architecture at ABN AMRO
Another popular place for those who don’t have too much money: the window sill of ABN AMRO on the Grote Markt. Many Stadjers sat there with a can of soda from the supermarket, or simply, with nothing.
In May, the bank posted large metal strips on the window sills. Road seat. „ It produced a lot of waste. And we also increasingly received reports of people who felt unsafe or uncomfortable,” said a spokesman for the bank.
Another voice was heard in the city council. The parties of GroenLinks and PVDA called the comics “hostile architecture”. PvdA councilor Rozemarijn Gierkink regrets that homeless people can no longer spend the night in the windowsill.
The term ‘hostile architecture’ is not new. Instagram account @ dutch_hostile_architecture collects photos of benches with railings in the middle so that no one can sleep on them, sidewalks where you cannot actually walk and walls with spikes on them so that no one dares to sit on them.
The Friendly Banks Gang (VBB) is active in Amsterdam. The anonymous members go out with tools and screw the railings of benches. Vrij Nederland spoke to Louise, a member of the VBB: „ The city belongs to everyone, including the people who are less well off or who have a hard time.”
Bottom half falls off
Kristiaan also sees the city changing. He also worked in the hospitality industry during his studies. “Then I could buy a cheap meal in a restaurant with an hour’s work. Now that is absolutely no longer possible, it has all become so expensive.” And what else are you looking for in the city center if you can’t afford anything? “The bottom half falls off.”
He doesn’t ask his customers why they come. Some come to eat together at the large table. Others come for the price. “If you cook for several people, if you can cook well, have storage space and a freezer, then you can indeed cook for less than 8 euros per person. If you’re alone and don’t have all that, you won’t make it for eight euros.”
A boy is sitting at a table in ‘his’ restaurant. He doesn’t want his name in the paper. People shouldn’t think he’s stingy. In fact, he doesn’t want to talk at all. He just eats an omelette. “And that doesn’t have to be all that special from me.” That’s why he goes to The Globe. Because, four euros for a lunch, “in the city you spend three times as much”.
‘I didn’t think about it’
Back to the center of Groningen. Tjerk de Vos (60) from Groningen is sitting on a bench opposite De Globe. He has a break and smokes a filter cigar. He used to play double bass, but during the pandemic he lost work, lover and happiness. Six months ago he started his reintegration at De Globe.
“We used to always eat in restaurants. That’s how it goes when you’re on tour, so I didn’t think about that.” He is no longer touring and there is also less money. “I wish everyone a luxury restaurant, but it is really too much.”
Vinkhuizen Bar
Three kilometers further on, a completely different world begins. Paulo Boomstra (43) does not serve Funky Falcon in the Vinkhuizen Bar. Customers can choose: a bottle of Heineken or a bottle of Amstel. Yes, in theory they can choose a Westmalle Trippel. “But no one here drinks that.”
Vinkhuizen Bar is “an ordinary café”, says Boomstra. The bar is brown, the stools are burgundy and leather dice cups are behind the bar. But his café is no longer that ‘ordinary’ in Groningen. “You have a few more in town. Paddepoel, De Wijert and the Hoornsemeer Bar.”
But they are mainly still in the neighborhoods. “Vrouger”, then it was different, says Boele Schut (58). He is sitting on the terrace of the Vinkhuizen Bar. He doesn’t come into town very often anymore. “It’s not fun there anymore.” Back then, yes, he went to Time Out, The Sound, the Poeldwinger. But they no longer exist and he has nothing to do with the new pubs and the new audience. “I live around the corner, I’m fine here.
Amar Sadhoe (36) is sitting next to Schut on the terrace. He also sees that things are changing in the city centre. “Yes boy, things are changing. That’s just how it goes.”