'Architectural competition' to redesign Brussels chip stands

From snails to chips, Brussels’ snack bars are under threat as the city makes certain aesthetic demands.

It started with the snail stall on Place de la Bourse in Brussels. The permit granted to the Chez Jef & Fils snail stall runs out at the end of December, ran a story on the Brussels news website Bruzz.

This piece of Brussels heritage has to go to allow work on the pedestrian zone. After that, their ramshackle caravan will no longer be welcome on Place de la Bourse.

What a shame, I thought. Not that I ever ate any of Jef’s slimy creatures, but I liked the scruffy old white van with its big pots of simmering snails. It seemed to represent the relaxed spirit of Brussels, like sausage stands do for Berlin.

But it has to go. And that’s only the beginning of the purge, because now the city has its sights on an even more precious monument to street food – the frietkot, or chip shack.

Brussels trade councillor Marion Lemesre wants to replace the 10 existing frietkots in central Brussels with new models, reports Bruzz.

You may be wondering why this bonfire of the chip vans has to happen. "The fries shack on Place de l'Yser doesn’t conform to the city’s aesthetic demands," Lemesre explains.

Lemesre wants to organise a competition to create a new uniform look for Brussels’ frietkots. The new frietkots have to all look the same, and act as recognisable landmarks – like the red telephone boxes in London.

"The idea is to organise an " as early as this year for a retro or contemporary design," Lemesre explains.

"We want an architecture that can be recognised, something that lets people know they are in Brussels," said Lemesre.

But what says you’re in Brussels more than a greasy chip stand belching smoke at 2am?

Photo: Visit Brussels/Tony Le Duc