After a more than a decade the Nieuw-West district and the City Council gave a ‘green light’ for the arrival of a new Coffeeshop near Sloterdijk Station.
According to district manager Achmed Baâdoud, it has to be a drive-through coffeeshop. Where you can, while in you car (like a fast food restaurant) order and pick-up your Cannabis or Hashish.
Although initially the local business ‘union’ of the Western harbour area in Amsterdam was not pleased with the possible arrival of a drive-through coffeeshop from The Bulldog and appealed to the plans with the municipality. It might actually finally happen!
The Bulldog wants to open a coffee shop and a café with a large terrace. The move is part of Pilot Coffeeshops, where the municipality tries to move coffeeshops from the center of the city. In exchange for the coffeeshop in the Western harbour area, The Bulldog would close their branch in Spuistraat.
But the entrepreneurs in the Western harbour area were not happy about the arrival of the coffeeshop. With plenty of parking, The Bulldog in the port would be especially focused on customers picking up weed, according to the request. But the coffeeshop would also make it possible to consume Cannabis on the spot. The local businesses were not in favour of this and had informed the municipality that they disagree with this idea.
An other reason for their earlier struggle opening a coffeeshop in West had to do with the fact that the location was too close to surrounding schools. To which Baâdoud had serious objections. But that does not apply to the location near Sloterdijk Station. “There are no schools and residents affected by the arrival,” said the councilman.
The location is quite a bit further away. However also closer to the high-way, so easier to reach. And in a more business like/industrial area. So traffic and local disturbance complaints will stay at a minimum.
