Oudenaarde (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Oudenaarde will enforce an alcohol ban around the train station from October 1, 2025. Mayor John Adam (Open VLD) said police can confiscate open containers to maintain safety and cleanliness.
As VRT News reported, Oudenaarde, in the province of East Flanders, Belgium, will enforce a complete alcohol ban in and around the train station starting October 1st, 2025. The city took this step after residents reported repeated disturbances caused by groups drinking in public. Mayor John Adam (Open VLD) said the noise and behaviour of these groups make neighbours feel unsafe.
“The police will also be allowed to confiscate openly packages.”
John Adam, Mayor of Oudenaarde (Open VLD)
Why is Oudenaarde implementing an alcohol ban around the train station?
The problem also includes litter. Communities leaving behind cans, bottles and other waste have lowered the quality of life in the streets surrounding the station. Mayor Adam stated they want to be better about cleanliness and create a more welcoming environment.
“This means that alcohol will no longer be allowed in the station area, on the platforms, in the bicycle parking facilities, or in the surrounding streets. And the police will also be authorised to confiscate open containers,”
explains John Adam
Concerns have emerged that banning alcohol around the station might push the problem to other areas. Mayor John Adam (Open VLD) said the city is aware of this risk.
“We will apply the ban for six months and then evaluate the results,”
he explained.
“If needed, we will make adjustments to ensure the measure works effectively.”
Oudenaarde has already taken several steps to manage the issue.
“That helped, and we will certainly take further action in the near future, but I can’t say anything about that yet,”
said the mayor.
Since the summer holidays, a reporting centre has operated at the station, staffed regularly by a community warden and a youth worker to help residents and respond to complaints. The municipal council will decide on the alcohol ban on September 25, 2025.
“Young people and others can go there with their complaints, and we’ve noticed that’s happening,”
added Mayor Adam.
Problems around Oudenaarde station have been building for several months. In February 2025, the city increased police patrols and allowed systematic identity checks for a month to monitor public drinking and disturbances.
Several Belgian cities have introduced alcohol bans to improve safety and reduce disturbances. In Aalst, drinking near the train station was banned from September 9 to December 18, 2025, to stop public drunkenness. Brussels extended its city-centre ban on public drinking from February 2020, with fines for anyone caught breaking the rule.
Ixelles stopped alcohol consumption at Place du Châtelain after 10 p.m. from April 1, 2025, allowing drinking only on bar terraces. Schaerbeek banned alcohol sales at night in the Northern Quarter from May 14, 2024, to tackle security issues linked to drugs. At Brussels-Midi station, authorities combined an alcohol ban with more police patrols starting September 7, 2023, to keep the area safe and clean.
