What do we see?
The morning of 22 June 1999 is one that many Amsterdammers will no doubt still remember. It is the morning on which the clouds of smoke at Singel 465-467 have lifted and the damage to nightclub RoXY will become clear: irreparably large. Just a few hours earlier there had been a spectacular party to celebrate the life of the designer of the interior: Peter Gielen. The fireworks that were set off, combined with a running air-conditioning system, are said to have caused a shower of sparks that eventually burned the building out completely. The photo shows silent witnesses to the fire: bicycles belonging to partygoers who no doubt stood watching in dismay, and the hoses of the fire brigade, which would spend the whole day damping down.
What was the news of the day?
Naturally the fire at the RoXY would dominate the news today. But there was more: today transport minister Netelenbos announced her plan to introduce road pricing. Using the car would become more expensive, owning one cheaper. The PvdA and D66, among others, are very positive about the plans; the VVD is critical.
What happened in the years that followed?
In the end the entire nightclub would burn out from the inside; the building itself could be saved. RoXY would never be rebuilt, despite many pleas from the clubbing public. For years the building housed a clothing shop for 'the tall and broad man' and in recent years it was the domain of the Amsterdam fashion brand ETQ. That brand went bankrupt at the end of 2022, so the premises are becoming available... could it ever happen after all? ;)
