Behind the graffiti of the Papengang is café De Zolder. A raw piece of the city, averse to pretensions. There is live music twice a week, beer is served from the bottle and guests can enjoy a joint in the garden without any worries.
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The character of De Zolder corresponds to that of owner Hans Deddens (55) himself. Friendly, open-hearted, tolerant, and a bit frayed, he says at the bar. “That results in a kind of casual village atmosphere.”
Hans decided in 1995 to take a seat behind the bar (“I liked going to the pub, so yes..”). And where now lights and colored walls mark the space, back then it was black and white that ruled the day. There was more of a punk vibe in De Zolder, says Hans.
Pub and coffee shop
Moreover, De Zolder was then a café and coffee shop in one. Because the law prohibited the sale of soft drugs and drinks in the same business any longer, it was decided to say goodbye to hash and weed. Well, as far as sales are concerned.
“Some people come here because they like to light up a joint in the garden. That is no problem at all,” he says. “If you do it somewhere on a terrace on the Grote Markt, something will soon be said about it. It must fit in with the environment, like here.”
De Zolder also has a spacious terrace
Hans says that De Zolder used to be a magnet for the ‘fringed edges of Groningen’. Men in particular knew how to find their way. An argument here and there was no exception. That has changed. “There is a nice mix here now. You have people relaxing in the garden, others watching football indoors, and music lovers enjoying live performances.”
Foreign students
Foreign students, among others, like to visit on Wednesdays and Thursdays, when bands transform De Zolder into a jazz and blues tent. According to Hans, this arose during the corona period. “At many bars you could only enter with a QR code. We were a bit easier about that. That’s why quite a few students came to us and kept coming,” says Hans.
“How did that happen with live music? That happened organically. The way everything happens organically here, haha.” He says that conservatory students suggested if they could come and play there. We liked it and it has been indispensable since then. “It brings some extra life to the brewery and they have a stage to practice on.” Quite a few musicians are now pulling Hans’ coattails. “I don’t even answer most emails anymore.”
Here you can enjoy jazz and blues/rock on Wednesdays and Thursdays
Finally, Hans was asked if he could tap a beer. Nice for a photo. “Unfortunately, we don’t have a tap here. It wasn’t there from the start, and we kept that in mind. Well, it’s a lot of dragging crates, but you don’t have to go to the gym anymore,” he jokes. Then: “Let’s do it with a bottle, dude. Great excuse to pop one, I thought.” “Plop.”
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