Valenciennes. To help the cafeterias, the Place could be pedestrianized throughout the summer

What if the Place d’Armes in Valenciennes became pedestrian throughout the summer? In any case, this is the track currently being studied by the municipality of Valenciennes in order to allow the bars and breweries of Place d’Armes to be able to extend their terraces. And thus, limit the breakage currently caused by the health crisis.

To date, no one knows when bars and restaurants can reopen. Announcements by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe are expected this Thursday, and these should allow everyone to see more clearly on the matter (especially for the departments located in the green zone, which may not be the case for our department). One thing is certain, when they occur, these reopenings will be subject to very strict health rules. And in particular to a spacing of the tables which, consequently, will have the effect of dividing by three – even by four – the reception capacities of all the establishments.

This is why the municipality of Valenciennes is planning to allow restaurateurs, bistros and cafetiers to encroach on the public highway in order to extend their terraces. On Place d’Armes, but also ” wherever possible in town Added Laurent Degallaix. ” Maybe that will allow them to do at least as well as the previous summers “He hopes. The mayor of Valenciennes has already contacted Christophe Robitail, the president of the UMIH of Hainaut to start preparations. It would in any case be a second measure initiated by the city of Valenciennes with regard to cafetiers, bistrotiers and restaurateurs, since they will also be exempt from the public domain occupancy tax in the coming months .

This would in any case imply that cars will therefore not be able to circulate during the whole summer on the Place d’Armes. However, this summer pedestrianization could be perpetuated if the test proved successful. Indeed, a few months ago, Laurent Degallaix had already worked on the subject. The idea? Make an exclusively pedestrian axis from rue de Famars to Passage de l’Arsenal, passing through Place d’Armes and rue de la Paix. Except that the traders on rue de la Paix were opposed to it: ” We cannot make people happy against their will. But maybe trying to do it this summer will change their minds “

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