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Saint-Josse plans bid for tourist zone status

11:46 01/10/2015

Three areas of Saint-Josse could be declared tourist zones under plans discussed by the commune this week. In particular, this would allow shops to stay open seven days a week.

The plans concern Madou, Rogier and the area that brings together Botanique (pictured), rue Royale and chaussée de Haecht. These would complement Schaerbeek's bid to have rue de Brabant also declared a tourist zone.

"We are the second largest commune in the region in terms of the number of hotel rooms, and the sixth largest in the country," said Emir Kir, the mayor of Saint-Josse, in a report in La Capitale newspaper. "Tourism is an integral part of our economy. The fact that Saint-Josse is a tourist place is obvious."

The final decision is down to the federal authorities, who need to be satisfied that the areas already welcome significant numbers of tourists and have sites of interest for visitors. A dossier is likely to be submitted in the first half of 2016.

Meanwhile the Metropole Hotel in the center of Brussels says that it will insist on receiving compensation for the impact of the pedestrian zone if nothing is done in the coming days to restore access for cars. A court ruled in June that the city faced a €500,000 fine if nothing was done, but the five-star hotel is still cut off as far as motorists are concerned.

Photo: Ingimage

Written by Ian Mundell

Comments

Mikek1300gt

Allow shops to open when they want? Oh the horror.....

Oct 1, 2015 12:30
amastan5

Better name it "Pick pocket zone" ...! isn't it more accurate ?
Pierre Lambert

Oct 1, 2015 13:31
salsadancer

I cannot see tourists wanting to visit rue de Brabant except for sex trade.

Oct 2, 2015 09:42