Amsterdam substantially expands alcohol ban in Red Light District | Inland

The extreme crowds in the Red Light District have returned to the level of 2019 after the abolition of the corona measures. This mainly irritates residents and sex workers. According to the municipality, the rapidly increasing numbers of visitors and the nuisance this entails puts unacceptable pressure on public space and the quality of life in the Red Light District.

Just like before the corona pandemic, the Red Light District acts as a magnet for visitors, who increasingly cause nuisance and exhibit undesirable behavior, especially later in the evening. This concerns alcohol and drug nuisance, noise nuisance, pollution of public space and intimidating behavior and (violent) crimes as a result of alcohol use. The many tourists and visitors also attract other unwanted groups, such as street dealers.

Although there has been a general alcohol ban in the Red Light District since the summer of 2021 from Thursday to Sunday from 10 p.m., this will therefore be significantly expanded from 6 May from 4 p.m. on the same days. In addition, from this weekend, one-way traffic will start on the Oudezijds Achterburgwal and various alleys around it. The municipality will deploy 48 hosts to manage the flow of visitors.

Furthermore, many permits for temporary terrace extensions in a large part of the Burgwallen-Oude Zijde and on the Nieuwmarkt will also be revoked from 6 May. The entrepreneurs concerned will be contacted next week.

Entrance gates

The municipality is considering even more additional measures if the situation in the Red Light District does not improve after this first action package. In a letter from Mayor Halsema that the municipal councilors received on Friday: “This concerns the possible introduction of window times whereby new visitors are no longer allowed in the catering establishments after a certain time, the long-term reduction of closing times on the weekend to 03:00 or if necessary to 2 a.m., and close access to the area at peak times and dose visitor numbers at 70% of the pre-corona level, in the extreme case by placing turnstiles.”

These measures would be follow-up steps on the so-called ‘escalation ladder for the Red Light District’. In the letter to the council: “These steps require further elaboration, including the necessary police and enforcement capacity, logistical preparation and legal preparation. Entrepreneurs of sex establishments are also being urged to tackle the queues in the street for their businesses, and they are invited to discuss this with the city district.”

Entrepreneurs furious

The Oude Stadshart entrepreneurs’ association is furious about the measures. Cor van Dijk: ,,We have been informed about the ladder of measures. We are very shocked and find the way this has come about is inappropriate.”

According to Van Dijk, the entrepreneurs were not involved in any way. ,,We had good hopes in the cooperation that we ourselves had sought to approach the challenges in our area from a joint approach. This shows little respect for entrepreneurs who come from a period from which they have yet to recover.”

The business association is considering steps.

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