The Northern Times
  • News
  • Lifestyle
  • Culture
  • People
  • What’s happening
  • Economy
  • Opportunities
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Lifestyle
  • Culture
  • People
  • What’s happening
  • Economy
  • Opportunities
No Result
View All Result
The Northern Times
No Result
View All Result

Community clubs together to re-open only village pub

February 17, 2020
in Uncategorized
Home

De Herberg in the Frisian village of Waskemeer, is the new centre of the village, and is alcohol free

Translated by Thomas Ansell

After tens of years, the centre of Waskemeer in the municipality of Ooststellingwerf again has a pub. The 800-person village was without any form of central meeting place, but now has a place where people can meet, drink coffee, have lunch; and even ‘borrel’ together. There’s just one difference from most other pubs: De Herberg is alcohol-free.

A group of residents in Waskemeer decided to band together to re-open the pub. The village does have its own hall, but it is only open in the evenings, and sits on the edge of the village. Waskemeer was missing a day-time meeting place, and the group of residents decided to fix this.

“Waskemeer has no bakery, no butchers, and no shops. So, residents don’t come together that often, and you don’t find out if someone has, for example, had a baby, or whether to bring a bouquet of flowers to a sick neighbour. The goal of De Herberg is that it becomes that village hub”, said Leke Otter, a member of the De Herberg foundation.

The building was previously a hairdresser, followed by a bar, and then a lunchroom. Recently, though, the lunchroom was only available by appointment, due to the owner’s sickness, and it then had to close. The building was put up for sale, and it looked as though Waskemeer would lose last outlet.

However, the De Herberg Foundation raised the money to buy back the pub, with donations coming from almost every person in the village, and the surrounding villages. The foundation also benefitted from a subsidy from the Mienskipfûns (community funds), via the gemeente.

De Herberg is now open from Tuesday through to Sunday, from 10:00 to 17:00- and it is staffed by two volunteers each day. In total, 30 volunteers are putting in time, but not everyone had experience in the hospitality sector. The foundation has organised a number of training courses so that the pub is well-run.

In the summer months, the pub will be open significantly longer: the foundation hopes that it becomes a good resting place for cyclists discovering the Frisian countryside.

Image via De Herberg on Facebook

Tags: community grouppub

Related Posts

The Northern football clubs’ monthly round-up: August
Sports

The Northern football clubs’ monthly round-up: August

August 28, 2023
FC Groningen: A Fallen Giant Lifted by Its Supporters
Sports

FC Groningen: A Fallen Giant Lifted by Its Supporters

August 16, 2023
Dutch women’s football team roars into the World Cup
Sports

Dutch women’s football team roars into the World Cup

July 19, 2023

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Popular News

  • Father and six children from Ruinerwold lived in basement for years waiting for the end of time

    Father and six children from Ruinerwold lived in basement for years waiting for the end of time

    2874 shares
    Share 1149 Tweet 718
  • Scottish company working on ferry service between Edinburgh and Eemshaven

    1827 shares
    Share 731 Tweet 457
  • German students score rap hit with “Bonnetje Mee”

    1731 shares
    Share 692 Tweet 433
  • Two COVID-19 Coronavirus cases confirmed in Province of Groningen

    1492 shares
    Share 597 Tweet 373
  • Olympic champion Epke Zonderland now a doctor

    1375 shares
    Share 550 Tweet 344
The Northerntimes is powered by: TopDutch

No Result
View All Result
  • Arts
  • Contributors
  • Covid-19 News
  • Covid Chronicles
  • authority
  • personal
  • photo reportage
  • professional
  • Crime
  • Culture
  • Drenthe
  • Dutch history
  • Econ 050
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Eurosonic Noorderslag
  • Friesland
  • Groningen
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Make it in the North
  • National
  • News
  • Nightlife
  • Opinion
  • Opportunities
  • Education
  • People
  • Expats
  • International students
  • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Sports
  • submitted articles
  • Top Dutch Business
  • Travel
  • Typical Dutch
  • Ukraine
  • Uncategorized
  • What’s happening
  • World

Welcome Back!

OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Submit a article

Send in an article to be published on The Northern Times.

Send a news tip

Got a story idea or want us to be aware of anything?