Who wants to open a pop-up bar at Den Duiventoren?: “Make the castle domain more attractive” (Kruibeke)

The municipality of Kruibeke is looking for an entrepreneur who wants to open a pop-up bar at the former restaurant Den Duiventoren. That business is being renovated, but in the meantime the board wants to continue an activity there.

Since the end of 2023, the former catering business Den Duiventoren has been owned by the municipality of Kruibeke. The municipal council decided to integrate the valuable site into the Wissekerke castle domain. Den Duiventoren has been empty for several years because the previous owner wanted to completely renovate the building.

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To breathe some extra life into the castle site, the local government is now looking for a concessionaire to run a pop-up catering business there. “With this pop-up we make the castle grounds even more attractive for both visitors and local residents,” says Kruibeek mayor Antoine Denert (DENERT). “It increases the attractiveness and liveliness of Basel.”

Own accents

Those who obtain the concession will be able to use various areas, including the kitchen, cellar and shared sanitary facilities in the trading house, as well as part of the garden and parking. Although he is responsible for the design and operation of the pop-up shop. “Entrepreneurs are free to put their own emphasis,” says Denert. “For example, consider a thematic link with the historic site De Duiventoren, Wissekerke Castle or Reynaert.”

The concession will be granted for a period of one year. Operation is planned from June to September 2024, but after that the agreement can be extended annually. The concessionaire must pay at least 370 euros per month in rent for the period in which the business is actually open. Potential candidates can register until April 30, 2024 via kruibeke.be.

From Stone to Stone

Work on the castle park has now resumed. An accessible ramp will be constructed to the entrance hall of the castle, making the castle only accessible to vehicles via the Lange Gaanweg. A new bridge will also be constructed between the park and the Verkortsdijk, meaning that the park will no longer be accessible via that road until the end of May. Partly for this reason, the water level of the pond is temporarily lowered. All these works are part of the From Stone to Stone project, in which castles along the Scheldt are clustered for tourist purposes.

READ ALSO. Wissekerke Castle will soon serve as a tourist reception