Forget the polished postcard version of the Netherlands for a moment. In The Hague, the Weimarstraat tells a different story. This busy shopping street has spent years dealing with vacant properties, nuisance and questionable businesses. But things are changing. According to local newspaper KonkreetNieuws, area transformation manager Abdel Bouchibti has spent more than five years helping bring new businesses into the neighbourhood and improving its appearance. Fresh paint helps. Finding the right businesses is the harder part.
The city also introduced additional business permit requirements in parts of the Weimarstraat and nearby Beeklaan. The idea is to prevent criminal networks and dishonest operators from gaining a foothold. Coffeeshops are part of the area's wider commercial landscape, although this latest discussion concerns business regulation more broadly, not a new coffeeshop ban. Bouchibti believes the extra checks should continue. A decision on extending the current permit scheme is expected in November.
Meanwhile, the neighbourhood keeps evolving. Vintage shops, creative spaces and new retail concepts are bringing fresh energy to the area. For international visitors exploring The Hague beyond its famous landmarks, it's a glimpse of a city that's constantly reinventing itself. Because changing a street takes more than a shiny new sign and a fresh coat of paint. The real work happens behind the shopfronts.