Retailers Seek Compensation During NATO Summit

INretail Calls For Action To Help Local Entrepreneurs
According to the retail trade association INretail, stores close to the World Forum and other parts of The Hague are taking a hit from public warnings to steer clear of the Randstad region during the summit. Fixed costs do not disappear when income falls drastically, and have even prompted some firms to run into financial trouble, its general manager Jan Meerman said. "Entrepreneurs who fill The Hague with liveliness day in, day out and then find themselves in financial difficulty," Meerman said.

The association would like to see a compensation model that reflects the degree and length of disruption — a "prac-tical, justified and social-defendable" solution. Government support would demonstrate that national security can be ensured without sacrificing local businesses, INretail asserts.

Hospitality Also Suffers
It's not just the retailers who are worried. The tourism sector is also seeing cancelled bookings and fewer customers. Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN) pointed out that entrepreneurs in particular in and around the beach of Scheveningen are already losing a lot of customers.

In order to help businesses get back on their feet, INretail is also demanding a publicity campaign after the summit to attract people back into the shops and restaurants in The Hague.