Retail trade association: businesses near the NATO Summit need government compensation

INretail has pushed for business owners in Zuid-Holland to be compensated for the loss of turnover they will experience during the NATO Summit. According to the retail trade association, entrepreneurs are already noticing a drop in visitors and turnover in The Hague, including in the area near the World Forum where the NATO Summit will be held.

The government called on people to avoid the Randstad area near and during the NATO Summit at the end of June. According to INretail, this discourages customers from visiting stores. “The costs that you have to earn back through your turnover continue every day," the general manager of INretail, Jan Meerman, explained. "Entrepreneurs that contribute to the liveliness of The Hague day in, day out then end up in financial trouble."

INretail thinks that the business owners should receive a fixed amount, which should rise as the obstruction becomes heavier and more lengthy. “Practical, justified, and socially defendable,” the trade association said about their suggestion. “This can be a way for the government to show that national security does not have to be at the expense of local entrepreneurs.”

The trade association is also pleading for the government to launch a public campaign after the summit to help the public re-visit the stores in and around The Hague.

It is not only the retail sector that is expecting a reduction in the number of customers, but also the hospitality industry. A round of restaurant interviews earlier this month proved that people have been canceling their restaurant reservations, and hospitality establishments are fearing a loss in turnover.

Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN) recently stated that business owners are concerned about the decreased availability of the beach in Scheveningen, for example.