Ghent’s medieval Butcher’s Hall becomes bike shed

In Ghent, the great Butcher’s Hall, a historic building in the city center near the Castle of the Counts, will become a bicycle shed. The 15th-century market building is in deplorable condition and will be renovated. The city council has decided this.

The Butcher’s Hall has had commercial use for a while. In the 1920s, it became a market for fruit and vegetables. In the 1960s, the building was used partly as a car park and a fish market.

€7,5 million budget

In recent years, the East Flanders province operated a Promotion Center for regional products and a restaurant. Still, currently, it is propped up, and the building, of which the roof is leaking, is not accessible to the public.

The renovation and repurposing will cost 7,5 million euros, 900 000 euros could be paid with a Flemish heritage grant. After the renovation, the building will serve as a guarded bicycle park for 15 years.

Authorized Minister not satisfied

According to the newspaper De Morgen, Flemish Heritage Minister Matthias Diependaele (N-VA) reacts in “disbelief” to Ghent’s heritage plans. He asked his agency to consult with the Ghent city authorities, first and foremost, “to see if this is serious”.

“If it does turn out to be a real proposal, our agency will have to judge whether the planned infrastructure is compatible with the historical heritage of the building,” Diependaele said.

The finbal destination of the Butcher’s Hall is likely to be put on the table of the Ghent city council on Monday evening. In principle, the work would start this year and take three to four years. In addition to the bicycle parking, there will also be public toilets.