those Dutch laws...

[VJ]

http://www.webwereld.nl/nieuws/16714.phtml

It is a Dutch article about a cybercafé becoming under fire for serving alcoholic drinks in combination with offering internet access...
According to law, it is forbidden to sell alcohol in combination with beverages...
edit: this thould read "in combination with services"

As mentioned in a few discussions regarding the topic: what about brothels ?
(posters say they also sell alcohol - wouldn't know that though )


Jörg

[Brian Ellis]

Sorry VJ, I don't understand. Do you mean to say that a restaurant cannot offer coffee and wine or even an Irish coffee? OK, I can understand that a place with a permit to sell non-alcoholic drinks and that sells alcoholic ditto would have its permit revoked, but this is not what you said. The fact thatit is an Internet café and not a conventional one surely has nothing to do with it????

Unfortunately, my Dutch is not good enough.

Mebbe brothels don't offer coffee (dunno, either)

[VJ]

Well, it is something very weird. Apparently, establishments are forbidden to offer both services (in this case internetaccess) and alcoholic beverages.
However, this combination is done in quite a number of places (poolhall, bowling-alley, ...), yet nobody has a problem with that. And now somehow, this law is being used against a cybercafe. Why ? Your guess is as good as mine...


Jörg

[agallag]

According to law, it is forbidden to sell alcohol in combination with beverages...

I think this is the line that's confusing us.

[The PIT]

Drunk charge of the Internet a major crime.

[Umfriend]

According to law, it is forbidden to sell alcohol in combination with beverages...

It's statements like these that fuel the Dutch reservoir of Belgian jokes (they are our Irish, if you understand what I mean).
The law states quite clearly that for a permit is needed for serving alcohol (not exactly for "selling" it like in a shop) at a certain place (like e.g. a bar or restaurant) and that at such a place no other merchandise or services may be offered, safe those meant for consumption (i.e. food and other drinks, could mean drugs and, well, perhaps prostitutes).

Indeed, you can not offer a hair cut, legal advice or watches etc in such a place. Internet access and the implied renting of equipment is a service and therefor against the law.

Funny this, actually, the islamic internet cafes are more in line with out culture as laid down in the law a long long time ago then those run by some native fellow citicens (pun intended, you know who you are! )

Umf

[VJ]

Originally posted by Umfriend
It's statements like these that fuel the Dutch reservoir of Belgian jokes (they are our Irish, if you understand what I mean).

It was just a typo !
Honest...

(by the way, we Belgians also have a collection of Dutch jokes, it is a weird relation between them and us...)


Jörg

[Umfriend]

Sure you do, but ours are funny

[VJ]

Ours aren't actually jokes... they're true stories...



Jörg

[Brian Ellis]

Do you know why Belgian ladies have square nipples?

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So that the babies are accustomed to the shape of pommes frites.

[VJ]

(well, I guess that was the last time I started a thread on something funny in Holland... )

Jörg

[Umfriend]

ROFLMAO