Haarlem theater will be fined if it opens at full capacity, municipality says

The municipality of Haarlem will take enforcement action if the Thursday and Friday evening performances in theater De Liefde happen at full capacity as the theater announced, against the current coronavirus restrictions. That enforcement will include a penalty of 2,500 euros, a spokesperson for the municipality of Haarlem said after reporting by AD.

"Municipal supervisors will check on Thursday whether the theater is complying with the Covid measures. If there are more than 80 people in the hall, there will be a fine," said the spokeswoman. The penalty will also be imposed if the theater again does not comply with the coronavirus rules on Friday and allows more than 80 people in the hall.

The fact that the municipality is threatening with a fine is "no surprise to the theater", a spokeswoman said. "We had already thought that a fine could be one of the enforcement measures. That is the role that the municipality must play, we understand that."

Due to the current coronavirus measures, theaters are currently allowed to only let in two-thirds of their full capacity. As of September 25, that measure no longer applies. But the Haarlem theater decided to scrap the measure earlier. The theater said that during the performances of Theo Maassen on Thursday and Friday all 120 seats will be occupied per evening. Visitors must show their CoronaCheck app in advance.

The theater and the municipality are still in talks to find a joint solution. According to the municipality, various alternatives have been discussed, but the theater chose to completely open the hall. "We have different views on that," said the spokesperson for theater De Liefde.