Antwerp Mayor Closes Dam District Shop Over Pests, Mold, and Free Alcohol
Antwerp Mayor Els van Doesburg (N-VA) has ordered the closure and sealing of a shop at Viaduct-Dam in the city’s Dam district after repeated inspections uncovered serious health and safety violations, including pest infestations, mold, expired food products, and the free distribution of expired alcoholic beverages. The closure takes effect on August 19 and will last at least one month, according to VRT NWS.
A Pattern of Violations
The decision follows a series of inspections that revealed persistent problems at the establishment. During a police inspection on July 16, officers found ants crawling among food products and across packaging, fruit flies and insect larvae in a package of dates, and what were presumed to be mouse droppings under shop shelves. Expired food products with long-passed sell-by dates were also discovered.
The shop operator was instructed to remove the expired products and address the hygiene issues, but a follow-up inspection on July 17 found expired food items still on the premises. A third inspection on August 3, conducted jointly with customs officials and the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FAVV), revealed mice in the store, mold formation on the ceiling, and prohibited or untaxed products including vapes, snus, and chewing tobacco.
Inspectors also found drug paraphernalia—pipes, grinders for cannabis, grip bags, and filters—that could facilitate drug use. Several products were confiscated during the operation, as reported by the City of Antwerp press office.
Contributing to Neighborhood Nuisance
Beyond the health violations, police determined that the shop was contributing to persistent public nuisance in the surrounding area and at Park Spoor Noord, a major urban park located south of the Dam district. The store regularly sold alcohol to individuals who subsequently caused disturbances in the neighborhood, and some expired alcoholic beverages were even given away for free.
Police statistics for 2026 alone show 40 findings and 98 other reports of public drunkenness or disturbance of public order in the vicinity. Even during the August 3 inspection, people were observed drinking alcohol purchased at the shop in front of the store.
“Because earlier warnings and inspections did not lead to sufficient improvements, the mayor decided to close and seal the business for one month,” the City of Antwerp stated in its press release.
Conditions for Reopening
The shop can only reopen after the operator has structurally addressed all identified problems. This includes a thorough professional cleaning, professional pest control, and the removal of all expired and prohibited products. City services and police will verify compliance before the business is allowed to resume operations.
The closure is part of a broader enforcement pattern by Mayor Van Doesburg, who has been actively using her administrative powers to address public health and safety concerns since taking office in February 2025. In July, she closed a shop in Hoboken for one month after inspectors found prohibited nicotine products, disposable vapes, illegal medicines—including a known “rape drug” hidden in a printer paper drawer—fireworks, laughing gas cartridges, counterfeit products, and expired food, as VRT NWS reported. That shop was located just 300 meters from a secondary school.
More recently, Van Doesburg also ordered the closure of a dance café at Falconplein due to repeated disturbances and an apartment in Deurne used by sex workers, demonstrating a consistent approach to tackling nuisance and safety issues across the city.
The Dam District Context
The Dam district, historically home to harbor workers, has long been somewhat isolated from the rest of Antwerp due to railway lines and industrial infrastructure, according to Wikipedia. The neighborhood of approximately 5,844 residents (2025) covers 117 hectares and is bounded by the Albert Canal to the north, the Asiadok to the west, Park Spoor Noord to the south, and the Lobroekdok to the east. The opening of Park Spoor Noord was intended to better connect the district to the rest of the city, though the park has also become associated with public nuisance issues.
What to Watch For
The key question now is whether the shop operator will comply with the conditions for reopening after the one-month closure period. If violations persist, the mayor could extend the closure or take further enforcement action. The case also highlights the multi-agency cooperation—involving police, customs, and FAVV—that underpins such enforcement efforts in Antwerp, and raises broader questions about how cities can effectively regulate businesses that pose persistent risks to public health and community well-being.