Ravel (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The establishment Papaoutai, which operates as a summer bar near Ravels’ Canal, has decided against opening a venue this year. This is reported by RTV. The temporary bar operation lacks municipal authorisation due to its unzoned catering status at the site.
Papaoutai Summer Bar in Ravels failed to obtain operating permits and remained closed during the summer of 2025. RTV reported that the municipality refused to grant the permit because Papaoutai operated in an area that did not carry zoning status for catering. A new Council of State decision banned municipalities from awarding temporary permits to pop-up bars operating beyond zoned districts, thereby putting an end to temporary licensing for these venues.
The municipality of Herentals joins Ravels in making this decision after issuing a similar ban last year as part of increased enforcement for seasonal bar zoning requirements.
Spatial planning regulations depict this operating zone as an area that lacks suitability for restaurant establishments. Pop-up summer venues, including Papaoutai, received special permissions throughout previous years, enabling them to operate briefly past zoning requirements. The Council of State issued a ruling that prevented municipal authorities from providing the permits, resulting in Ravels’ refusal of the permit application.
Papaoutai reached its fifth summer anniversary since its seasonal opening last summer by the canal. The municipality, together with bar owners, operates ongoing discussions about future plans, but no determination has been reached regarding the bar’s permanent location or operational future. During 2018, Herentals established a new direction in municipal enforcement when they denied summer bar permits in zones without designated alcohol sales areas.
What is the broader context of zoning laws and summer bars in the region?
Belgium enforces zoning laws more strictly these days, which has a negative impact on summer bars that are operating temporarily. Since 2020, the Flemish Department of Environment indicates that more than 60% of municipalities have modified the permit process for temporary food service operators. Since the Council of State implemented zoning requirements, temporary bar permits were reduced by 40% in Flanders during 2022 and 2023.
Ravels, which belongs to Antwerp province, has approved the operation of temporary bars through seasonal permits throughout its history. Results from the 2021 regional audit exposed permit violations extending to 30% of non-zoned areas, which led to court proceedings because of these violations in spatial planning laws. Herentals and Turnhout implemented stricter regulatory measures because the administrative body of Herentals denied all five summer bar licenses in 2023.
Summer bars generate €2–3 million annually for local tourism within the Kempen area, which contains Ravels. The complaints that municipalities have filed regarding noise, waste, and traffic violations (15% of reports) have become significant causes of opposition to these enterprises. The Flemish government, through its 2022 zoning reform, established permanent land-use priorities that restricted opportunities for temporary business operations.
The 12 pop-up bars operating in Flanders currently struggle to obtain necessary permits because of growing regional regulations about zoning rules. The current municipal rules require businesses to operate exclusively within the pre-approved catering zones spanning only 8% of recreational space in Antwerp province, according to information obtained from Flemish spatial planning efforts. The modification of zoning policies stands as the only available solution for seasonal facilities like Papaoutai before the laws change.
