paroolFeb 12, 2026, 11:00

After a century, Gudde family quits herring trade: 'Rejected six times for a larger stall'

After four generations and nearly a century in the trade, the Gudde family is closing their Amsterdam herring stall as 69-year-old Lucien Gudde retires. The business will not be passed down to his son due to restrictive municipal regulations that prevent stall modernization and make operating licenses non-transferable. Gudde expressed frustration that these policies, including temporary permits and rejected expansion requests, are effectively forcing traditional street vendors out of the city.

Business Culture Amsterdam Haarlem Netherlands

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Based on reporting by parool. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.

30 years of ADE: how a small networking conference grew into the world's largest dance marathon

The Amsterdam Dance Event is celebrating its 30th anniversary, having grown from a small industry gathering into the world's largest dance festival. Over the past three decades, the event has helped transform electronic music into a recognized art form while solidifying the Netherlands' reputation as a global leader in the dance industry.

IDFA film festival sounds alarm over higher tourist tax: 'Amsterdam is pricing itself out of the market for cultural events'

The IDFA documentary festival warns that rising hotel VAT and tourist taxes are making it difficult to host international cultural events in Amsterdam. Festival director Cees van 't Hullenaar states that these costs are pricing the city out of the competitive event market.

Kandinsky painting looted by Nazis from Amsterdam auctioned for 32 million euros

A 1907 painting by Wassily Kandinsky, which was stolen by Nazis from a Jewish family in Amsterdam during World War II, has been sold at auction for 32 million euros. The artwork was returned to the descendants of Emanuel and Hedwig Lewenstein in 2023 after German authorities officially recognized it as looted property.

Harry Styles concerts in Arena caused inflation in the Netherlands to rise

Economists from De Nederlandsche Bank have linked a series of ten concerts by Harry Styles in Amsterdam to a rise in Dutch inflation during May. The high demand from international fans led to a significant surge in hotel and ticket prices, marking an unusual impact on the national economy.

Chatterbox Roderik connects people with each other

Roderik Schaepman has launched the Week of the Conversation, an initiative aimed at encouraging social interaction to combat loneliness and declining communication skills. By setting up designated spaces at locations like the Haarlem train station, he encourages people to overcome social hesitation through simple steps like greeting and complimenting strangers.