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The last supper: Dutch bars and restaurants closed for 4 weeks
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The last supper: Dutch bars and restaurants closed for 4 weeks

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© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
Oct 15, 2020
Victoria Séveno
Victoria grew up in Amsterdam, before moving to the UK to study English and Related Literature at the University of York and completing her NCTJ course at the Press Association in London. She has a love for all things movies, animals, and food. Read more

Wednesday evening saw bars and restaurants (horeca) across the Netherlands celebrate their last night before being closed for (at least) four weeks as a result of Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s new coronavirus measures. 

Police shut down party in The Hague

In The Hague, as people turned out to get in one last round before a month of semi-lockdown, things got a little out of hand and the Dutch police had to intervene and break up an impromptu party. 

A stone’s throw away from Dutch government at the Binnenhof, tonnes of people turned out to party on the Plein in the centre of The Hague. A spokesperson for the police confirmed the party had to be broken up by officers from the local municipality and police force. 

At 2155 (five mins before partial lockdown rules apply). Images of this party almost literally on parliament’s doorstep were discussed in parliament tonight https://t.co/NkrtFKVF0s #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/asDIw1uAdt

— anna holligan 🎙 (@annaholligan) October 14, 2020

Mayor of The Hague, Jan van Zanen, said in a statement: “This is completely irresponsible... Of course people want to party again, but because of this kind of selfish behaviour the measures only last but longer. That way you hit yourself, others and entrepreneurs even harder.” 

The municipality of The Hague has said they will investigate exactly what happened and look into what disciplinary action can be taken against those who were involved. At this point, it is not known whether any fines were handed out by police when the party was broken up.

The last supper in Dutch restaurants

Restaurants also enjoyed a final hurrah, with an investigation from NU.nl revealing that the number of reservations on Wednesday night were 22 percent higher than the average Wednesday. The public turned out en-masse to make the most of the last opportunity to eat out. 

A number of bars and restaurants opened their doors earlier, and encouraged customers via posts on social media to stop by and make the most of the last day. In a Facebook post Claire, owner of Cafe De Donder in Utrecht, asked: “Can you help us empty the kegs?” Restaurant Milu in The Hague appealed to followers on Instagram to come and enjoy one last night of cocktails. 

 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

ℂ𝕝𝕠𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕕𝕠𝕠𝕣𝕤, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥...𝕔𝕠𝕔𝕜𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕤!🍸 . We gaan deze (voorlopig) laatste cocktailnight natuurlijk afsluiten met een BANG! 💥 . Onze cocktailshakers hebben hun spullen al klaar staan en zijn druk bezig met de voorbereidingen. . Er zijn nog wat tafeltjes beschikbaar - zowel binnen als op ons terras - om deze laatste woensdagavond te genieten van de Milú cocktails! 🍸🧉 . Reserveren kan via de link in bio! 𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕔𝕠𝕔𝕜𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕝 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤 💛

A post shared by Milú Bar & Restaurant (@restaurantmilu) on Oct 14, 2020 at 2:41am PDT

Leander Willemstein, owner of the RAW restaurant in Tilburg, said: “This is so beautiful. So many people who ask on this last evening if they can come and eat with us, and want to support us in this way... We're packed, it's a kind of Last Supper.”

By Victoria Séveno