Divided Dennenoord successfully reopened

After three weeks of renovation, the Dennenoord café and terrace is open again. “The beautiful weather is here!” says Els Kremers. She and her husband Mark had been running the Bier- en Spijzenlokaal Dennenoord for five years. At the end of June, they closed the doors to their café and terrace, and handed this part over to Tom Weerts from July 1st. Under the name Dennenoord Beers & Bites, his first successful sunny days are now over. In the meantime, Mark and Els have focused on the complex’s halls under the name Dennenoord Events.

“What we are doing now was actually the intention since the day we started here. We have always said that we find it very unfortunate that the halls as well as the café area and the terrace do not get the attention they deserve,” says Mark. “However, the two of us could not do it, no matter how hard we worked. We had to do everything with the handbrake: we could not regularly open the terrace fully, we could only accept three parties a week, and we often had to say ‘no’.”

Then Tom settled on their balcony. That’s where he had been regularly for about 15 years. But this time with the question: “Can’t I join you for a while?” After working in the cultural sector for years, he had finished his big project and decided to do something different. As has happened regularly over the past 40 years, he ended up in catering. “My first job was as a manager in a youth hostel, with all the trimmings, when I had just graduated. After that, in between trips to the cultural sector, I kept coming back to catering and really enjoyed it every time.

One dinar

When Mark and Ilse asked Tom in February if he wanted to take over the Dennenoord Café & Terrace, he only had one night to sleep. He had already been there for a while and it turned out to be a good match. Mark: “We didn’t just want to drop the number one here and wish them well. It had to be someone who fit in, both in terms of character and in terms of what we have built over the past five years. Someone who has the same vision and sees how beautiful this place is.

Tom certainly sees it: “It’s a beautiful thing that has been built in front of us in five years. Over the last six months I’ve seen the energy, time and strength that it takes. Normally no one can sustain this for five years. Well, then I come with a fresh perspective and see the possibilities, just like everyone else on the balcony. But through consultation, we hope that in two years we can say we are one Denenord.”

Together, Mark, Ilse and Tom want to make sure that guests retain the feeling that they are going to Dennenoord – whether they go to the terrace, the café (owned by Tom) or the rooms (owned by Mark and Ilse). “We keep the same logos and project the same image. The corridors to the toilets are also shared. We do that for a reason.”

Drinks List

Tom likes to continue the successful concept of Mark and Else, but adds his own twist. “I think you can already see it in the details. The tables on the terrace are a little different, and there are also some small changes inside that make it more my thing. But what has changed noticeably is the kitchen. Mark and Else were already thinking about the idea of ​​changing something and I said, ‘If I take over, it will be without lunch and dinner and then we will change the opening hours.’ So those are exactly the two things that have really changed.

However, the first table guests who sat on the terrace after Dennenoord Beers & Bites opened last Wednesday at 1pm were positively surprised. They ordered soup and flambkuchen and said when paying: “Don’t you have lunch?” But we had a great meal!

Personal attention

Enjoyment is key at Dennenoord Beers & Bites. It’s no coincidence that Tom’s motto is “Don’t worry, enjoy life.” Just like Mark and Els, he’s a real person. The face on the Dennenoord terrace has changed, but the personal attention to guests hasn’t. Els: “We think the personal touch is very important and Tom is really strong on that. Giving people attention, having a conversation and looking out for each other. So he’s still the same, but with a different face.”

A drinks menu instead of lunch and dinner, a change in opening hours, a different face and space for new developments – this is what the Dennenoord section brings. Mark: “If you work at least 60 hours a week and there is no more time to develop things, you are just working and no longer doing business. However, above all, entrepreneurship makes me very happy, especially with the potential that still exists here. After two years, the zoning plan for the future holiday homes that we want to implement next to the current Dennenoord has finally been changed. Developments like this need attention and clarity, but I can only provide that if I really spend time on it and not just do it on the side.

Full halls

Els is particularly looking forward to having to say “no” less. “For example, being able to accept tasks at short notice, such as coffee tables. We always had to turn them down because we were scheduled to be at the front, but now we’ve already had two calls that we were able to accept. It’s nice that you can also offer this to people who want to gather family and friends together here after saying goodbye to their loved ones.

The couple have never had to advertise their halls, but they are very busy with them. Els: “We have a great view, of course, with a garden and enough parking.” And it’s only getting better, according to Mark. “Five years ago, we decided to renovate the facade specifically and to renovate everything technically. We renovated the halls at that time, but there is still room for improvement there too. That’s something we will work on in the coming months.”

Nice start

“We’ve had a very good start in the last few days, with the help of Els and Mark. I don’t think I could have wished for better,” said Tom. The trio are relieved that the big word is out, innovation has started and space has been created for further growth. They’re not revealing everything they have in store for the immediate future, but the fact that they’re looking forward to it is as clear as the day of Forhöfevej in Wert.