Over the past year, no fewer than 597 cafes, in Flanders, and the doors are closed. The decrease in the number of pubs has been for quite a while now, but has suddenly become sharper in the future. The smoking ban and the increase in the number of alcoholcontroles would have a role to play.

it’s reported in The Newspaper.”In the mid-90’s, there were about 18,000 bars. A quarter of a century later, there is less than one-half of: 8.984,” says Matthias De Caluwe, the CEO of the Hospitality industry in Flanders, belgium.

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The decline has continued during the past year are suddenly much sharper, and all over Flanders, by. West-Flanders is lost to the 129 pubs in the East of Flanders, 151, Antwerp, belgium 113, Limburg, 125, Flemish Brabant, belgium 79, it is apparent from the data from the Statbel, and with the firm Graydon, who is the Catering Flanders opvroeg.


“society is changing, and it feels that the hotel and catering industry as well. With the smoking ban, and the fact that people now have a changed view on the use of alcohol seems to be less people go to bars to pull out. Young people are drinking more at home before they go out”, says De Caluwe.

At the café, go to the past and are less and less in our lives than ever before, confirming a sociologist, and Ignace Glorieux (free university of brussels). “When you went to a café and sat down, there will always be people that you know. Or did you stay in on Friday after work to talk with co-workers. We don’t do that anymore: now we need to get home quickly, because they wait for all sorts of tasks and activities.