While the closure of Brussels' last newspaper kiosk (on Avenue Toison d'Or near the Louise roundabout) has been announced several times before, the curtain will now finally fall on the last day of 2023.
An increasing number of newspaper kiosks in Brussels have shut down in recent years. They were forced to close or simply did not make enough money to keep the business going. The kiosk at the roundabout of Avenue Toison d'Or is the last remaining one of 52.
On 1 January 2024, however, owner Paul will retire after 38 years of service and the kiosk will definitively close its shutters, La Capitale reports. AMP s.a. – the company that owns the kiosk – can no longer find new operators.
"That is why they no longer wish to renew their agreement with the city of Brussels," the office of Brussels city councillor for Economic Affairs Fabian Maingain confirmed to Bruzz.
"In 2018, we launched two more vacancies for the operation of a kiosk: one on Place Jean Rey (in the European quarter), the other on Place Agora (in the city centre)," they said. "Only one application followed, and that was AMP s.a. However, the kiosks never opened because the company was unable to find staff."
