Night owls at LAB111 will have to finish their drinks by midnight.
Midnight it is
The Raad van State, the country’s highest administrative court, ruled on 11 November that the bar at the Oud-West arthouse cinema must keep its midnight closing time.
In 2022 the city renewed LAB111’s licence with hours until 1am on weeknights and 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Eight neighbours objected, and in 2023 the mayor cut that back: the bar may open only from an hour before to an hour after films and events, and must close by midnight.
A district court left that limit in place in 2025, and LAB111 appealed.
Bikes and chatter
Neighbours on the Arie Biemondstraat and Nicolaas Beetsstraat told the court that visitors leave around midnight in groups, talking loudly and rattling their bike locks.
Some of their bedrooms face the cinema’s entrance, and sound bounces between the buildings.
The court agreed the noise was real and said it would only grow if the bar stayed open later.
Little changes in practice
LAB111 argued that later hours would let it show more films after 9:30pm and bring in more money.
The court pointed out that the cinema already closed at midnight in practice and hardly used its later hours.
Sources: Raad van State ruling