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Amsterdam to “upgrade” Red Light district

The Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant reports that city of Amsterdam is planning to drastically change the character of its famous Red Light district by upgrading the neighbourhood and banning window prostitution. Today Amsterdam’s Alderman for Finance Lodewijk Asscher will present the Coalition Project 1012, which he describes as a “large-scale and drastic change in function of the entrance to the capital city”.

The project will entail close co-operation between private enterprise, police, the tax authorities and the municipality in order to “spruce up” the city’s “dismal” red carpet. Mr Asscher said: “The days that riff-raff have been allowed to control the most beautiful section of the city’s historic centre are over.”

De Volkskrant writes that private investors will spend hundreds of million of euros to upgrade the neighbourhood. The number of window prostitutes and facilities for drug addicts will be reduced. In response to a question whether the neighbourhood will become boring, Mr Asscher said: “No, of course not. We’re choosing chique and louche. Exciting, but bona fide.”
– Source: Radio Netherlands, Dec. 17, 2007

Anton and Janet Hein
Publisher at DutchAmsterdam | Website |  + posts

Anton and Janet Hein live and work in Amsterdam. We are the publishers of DutchAmsterdam.

Anton was born on a houseboat in the center of Amsterdam, right across from the iconic Westertoren and what later became the Anne Frank House museum. Having lived in nearly every district since then, he knows the city like his own back pocket.

Janet was born in England and raised in Ireland before moving to Amsterdam 42 years ago. Even to date she brings an expat’s perspective to the DutchAmsterdam website.

Last updated Thursday, April 9, 2009 CET (Central European Time)

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