Dutch nightclubs to remain closed until November

The Dutch events industry plans to protest the updated measures this weekend.

Clubs in the Netherlands will remain closed until 1 November at the earliest, according to a new announcement from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency.

The updated measures – which are listed on the Netherlands Enterprise Agency website among other updated rules for the hospitality sector – follow on from the Dutch government’s decision to shut clubs and festivals last month following a brief two-week reopening stint. During this period, there was a sharp spike in COVID-19 cases, particularly among under 30s.

As NL Times reports, a number of Dutch event promoters and venue owners will protest the measures this Saturday (21 August) as part of the Unmute Us campaign, which includes nationwide demonstrations in cities such as Groningen, Nijmegen, Utrecht, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. The campaign is demanding that music events be permitted from 1 September.

ADE, which was due to take place from 13 to 17 October, has issued a statement following the government’s U-turn. Taking to Instagram, event organisers wrote: “The Dutch government has decided to leave festivals, clubs and nightlife without perspective yet again – a disastrous decision for the backbone of ADE and the electronic music industry as a whole.”

“Without a clear vision on nightlife and its culture, there is still no hope on the horizon for countless clubs, artists and electronic music enthusiasts.”