The two projects completed so far are aimed at strengthening commerce and stimulating entrepreneurship. The Service Point for Employers is a place where' (potential) traders can go with their questions: for example on the conditions for establishing a new business, subsidies, licences and the availability of commercial premises. As a result of the promotional campaign, the Kinkerstraat and the Ten Katemarkt are beginning to enjoy a new identity as an attractive shopping area. 

Thanks to the financial injection from Urban II, this can now become reality. ‘Service Point for Employers’ and ‘Promotional Campaign for Shopping Streets’ are two of the projects that were successfully completed in March 2004. A contact person for the Traders’ Service Point has been appointed, who can take information about subsidies and guidelines to the traders in the shops. The Service Point is also available to traders by telephone and via the internet. The constituent project Promotional Campaign for Shopping Streets is made up of fourteen actions, including a four-month campaign on AT5, a festival for the shopping public, a “shopping street on the web” and a specially designed “Oud West shopping bag” which helps to promote the shopping area.

The spearheads within the Amsterdam programme document are: 

The actions and the publicity they have generated have generally greatly increased public interest in this neglected area. This is clear from the interest shown by potential traders enquiring about premises in the Kinkerstraat and elsewhere in the Oud West retail area. Some fifteen traders on the Kinkerstraat have invested in renovations to their properties, with the help of subsidies. The diversification on the Kinkerstraat has been improved and the image of the street is changing. As the daily broadsheet Het Parool put it: “The Kinkerstraat is becoming cool!” 

URBAN II is an initiative of the European Commission. The aim is to support innovative projects in the field of urban regeneration in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. The URBAN II projects will set an example for national urban policy. In the Netherlands, areas in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Heerlen have been allocated for the period 2000-2006. In Amsterdam the URBAN II programme is being carried out in eight neighbourhoods from four city districts (West binnen de Ring), with a total of 63,000 inhabitants.

European subsidy: € 91.890
Total cost: € 340.300

The local programme management, tel. +31 20 5812860

01/11/2001

case

Urban Policy > Economy knowledge & employment > Urban economy

Business support