Do you know that feeling? It's Sunday morning, you stayed up a bit too late the night before and are lying hungover on the couch with your housemates. Hunger wins over laziness, so you drag yourself downtown for a croissant. But then. A closed door. Shit. It's Sunday morning...
Rules that conflict
In Groningen, retail is not allowed to open until 12 o'clock on Sundays. Until January 2023, Broodje Van Eigen Deeg was the place to go for a fresh croissant every Sunday morning. After the municipality decided that the baker could no longer open, the loss of revenue was so great that they have been completely closed on Sundays since June 2025. A shame. And a reason for Student & Stad to go out on Sunday morning, together with the VVD, to hand out free currant buns and ask the people on the street what they think about this.
Unfair, outdated, entrepreneurial freedom
The strange thing? While Broodje Van Eigen Deeg has to shut its doors, businesses like Doppio and Bakker Bart are allowed to open, because they fall under the label of daytime hospitality. One entrepreneur can, the other cannot. Try explaining that. Besides, the city has changed. Sundays are no longer 'quiet' rest days. Before noon, there are even queues at sandwich shops with people wanting to go inside. People LIVE on Sundays, but the policy lags behind. Groningen is a vibrant city, and that includes a lively city center, even on Sundays. Entrepreneurs should be able to decide for themselves whether they want to open in the morning. In a survey by OOG TV in 2023, local entrepreneurs indicated that some of them would like to open, others not, but they all agreed that the choice should lie with the entrepreneur, not with the municipality.
Time for change
Sunday morning is now a missed opportunity. For entrepreneurs, for the city, and for everyone who craves a croissant on Sunday morning. During our currant bun action on the street and on social media, we also gauged how this is viewed in the city. And what turned out? With one exception, everyone agreed with us. Time for change then.
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