“Dear visitors, to my regret I have to close my business on Friday and Saturday because the city council considers it more important to have your picture taken with the stars of the bicycle than to ensure that people can come and shop in Leuven. Once again. And this time during the Customer Weekend!”
So begins the letter that Frans Vanhove from the art gallery of the same name in Bondgenootlaan has hung in his window. Other retailers remain open, but recognize Vanhove’s story. “It will be a disaster,” says one. “The Customer Weekend is normally the best weekend of the year. But if it is like the 2021 World Cycling Championships, we will not see anyone.”
Trade association Liefst Leuven says that many retailers are concerned. “The timing of a major sporting event and a major shopping event that coincides: if we had a choice, we would have preferred to see it differently,” says trade coach Tine Vandeweerd of Liefst Leuven. “They are different audiences, but we are going to do everything we can to make the best of it. For shoppers and for visitors to the World Cup. It is never good for everyone, but we are especially happy that a lot is happening in Leuven.”
Open on Sunday
Many Leuven shops stay open longer on Friday and also open their doors on Sunday. “Many efforts have been made to highlight our offering,” says Vandeweerd. “I hope that the two audiences will get along well, although that is difficult to estimate. Maybe people will buy a T-shirt between two passages of the riders. Or very clichéd: Mr. to the race and Mrs. to the shops? We can only be happy that Leuven is on the map.”
Alderman Johan Geleyns (CD&V), who is responsible for Sports and Trade, understands the frustration of retailers. “I heard that it hit quite hard when it became clear that this fell on the same weekend,” he says. “The 2021 World Cup was okay for the catering industry, but much less so for traders. There was the fear that the weather would be a downer, but we have ensured that the impact on the shopping area is as small as possible. Diestse, Brussels, Mechelse, Parijsstraat… It is all accessible, just like the car parks and the ring.”
