'Guinguette' bars might not open in Brussels parks this summer

'Guinguette' bars might not open in Brussels parks this summer
Credit: Brussels Environment

While the pop-up guinguette bars are a much-loved part of the summer season in Brussels, the Capital Region's failure to form a government might mean that they will not be a staple in the capital's parks this year.

The opening of the summer bars in Brussels parks is under threat as the public contract for them has expired. The Inspectorate of Finances (which scrutinises public spending) stated that a government "in current affairs" cannot renew the guinguettes contract as it considers this call for tenders as a new policy.

With negotiations deadlocked for months now, it does not seem likely that Brussels will have a new government to renew the contract in time.

"However, as far as we are concerned, this is not a new policy," Alexandre Azer-Nessim, spokesperson for Brussels Environment Minister Alain Maron, told The Brussels Times. "It is a project that is part of the continuity of previous years and the budgets are well provided for."

'Major benefits'

The budget for the seven guinguettes is €350,000, which is mainly used to cover the costs of setting up and dismantling the infrastructure.

"Additionally, the policy costs relatively little for major benefits in terms of jobs, conviviality and so on," he added. "We are thinking in particular of the tourists who come in the spring and summer, but also of course of the people of Brussels who do not have a garden or do not go on holiday."

Maron believes that it is important that the pop-up bars can continue to exist, saying that renewing this contract would not be a new policy, but only a new call for tenders. "On the contrary, stopping the guinguettes could be seen as a new policy. What we are talking about here is continuity. The question should not even arise," he told RTBF.

Credit: Guinguette Barc

For this summer, however, time is running out: the Brussels Environment administration would have to start the process of launching a call for candidates soon. The candidates also need to be given time to apply before the selection process can start. Additionally, urban planning permits also need to be issued for some of the guinguettes.

"We have to do it now or it will be too late. We are going to do everything we can to get them into the parks by the end of April, beginning of May," said Maron. "We cannot hold hostage a policy that benefits the people of Brussels under the guise of current affairs."

More news on the topic is expected at the end of the week.

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