Exhibitors in the southeast food court were perplexed when they read in the paper that the wrecking ball will go through the former Develstein parking lot next month. This turns out a little later, now there is talk of October, but they have to go.
For exhibitors Sarah and Yvette van Yvette’s kitchen the news signaled a bad start to the year. And that while, after periods of corona and inflation, they still had the feeling that 2023 would be their year. “We were just as excited to make something beautiful this year,” says Yvette. “The news came as a shock to us,” adds Sarah.
Of the original group of about twenty, eight culinary entrepreneurs remain. “Zuidoost had a bad image,” says pizza chef Amjad. “World of Food has actually contributed something positive and we’ve worked very hard for that, so it must continue.”
‘Scandal’
But the Zuidoost district hasn’t found a place to bring all the booths back to one place, so World of Food will cease to exist in its current form. However, some entrepreneurs may be able to return to the future new building, which is now in discussions with the Lingotto project developer and the district.
Rakesh, known for his roti, is not very confident about this: «Before the agreement was that we could stay until 2030, then they would find us an alternative place and now we can come back in four years? what to do with my regular expenses in the meantime? I don’t trust it anymore, it’s a scandal.”
energy costs
According to Lingotto and the Province, the demolition was brought forward because the management of the old car park is too expensive. “Some isolation measures have been taken, but energy costs still remain high, especially given the current energy crisis,” said a spokesman for the district.
World of Food was once intended to help set culinary entrepreneurs on their way. Now 300 to 400 rental houses are to be built.
