Mechelen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Event organizers express dismay over Mechelen’s decision to close the iconic Nekkerhal by 2032, calling it a major loss for the cultural and events scene.
They must now find a new venue for their gatherings.
“That is not easy, just find a hall of 18,000 square meters to organize a jumping”,
says Gunter Van Lent of Jumping Mechelen.
Plans for the next six years have been made public by the city of Mechelen. Closing the Nekkerhal in 2032 is one of the most ambitious schemes.
Every year, the Nekkerhal hosts a number of popular events. Consider the BRAS flea markets or the yearly Christmas leaping. Now, they need to find a new place.
The organizers respond with disillusionment.
It is also unfortunate, according to operator Easyfaires, that the hall may be going extinct. Since 2015, they have been running the hall and hosting events there as well.
“We have done our utmost. When we took over the hall, there were 16 events per year, now we have about 50 events in the hall”,
says COO Alain D’Haese.
This is also bad news for Jumping Mechelen.
“It will not be easy to find a new location,”
says Gunter Van Lent, chairman of Jumping Mechelen.
“Fortunately, 2032 is still a long way off,”
he says.
“In the meantime, we have been in the Nekkerhal for 42 years, hopefully we can still hold our 50th edition there. We also want to stay in Mechelen, so hopefully alternatives will come our way.”
Ivo Van Itterbeek, co-organizer of the ‘BRAS flea market’ is also shocked.
“The Nekkerhal is a hall with a good occupancy. I am completely taken aback.”
Van Itterbeek, who is the director of Daedalus, an events company, is an expert on the Nekkerhal in Belgium.
“There have been years when we spent half of our weekends in the Nekkerhal with our events. It’s a shame when such an iconic hall disappears.”
The Nekkerhal’s weariness was another observation made by the organizers.
“I think it was a matter of making big expenses or selling the hall,”
says Van Lent of Jumping Mechelen.
“The city is now choosing not to make those expenses.”
This is also confirmed by operator Easyfaires.
“The Nekkerhal no longer meets current standards. Works are needed, although we believe they are feasible. The concrete rot can be tackled.”
“We think it’s a shame, even though we knew that the possible exit in 2032 was there,”
concludes Alain D’Haese of Easyfaires.
“The city respects the contract, so there’s nothing more that can be done.”
How might the closure of Nekkerhal impact local event planning in Mechelen?
With its 18,000 square meters of space, the Nekkerhal is a crucial venue for major gatherings like the Flanders Make Symposium and Jumping Mechelen. Due to its demise, organizers will need to locate other locations with comparable amenities and size, which are hard to come by in the area.
Frequent events that depend on the infrastructure and capacity of the Nekkerhal will encounter logistical difficulties, which could result in downsizing, relocations, or cancellations. Both the local economy and the city’s standing as an event destination may be impacted by this.
Large event spaces will become more in demand as more organizers look for new venues, which will increase expenses and cause schedule issues.
