Radio2
“Sometimes people are happy to find a pub without any footie”
The Red Devils, the Belgian national soccer
squad, are in action at the controversial Qatar world cup tonight, but Belgium’s
match against Canada won’t be available at one Brussels pub after the publican
let punters decide whether or not they wanted to watch the match.
Café Roskam
on the Vlaamsesteenweg in downtown Brussels joins Maison du Peuple and
Brasserie de l’Union, two pubs in Sint-Gillis, which earlier announced matches
wouldn’t be screened.
“I put the
question on Facebook. Should we screen
the world cup given the controversy?” says landlord Rudolf van Bochove. “6,000 people saw the post and dozens
responded: 70% opposed the screening. We
then decided not to screen the event”.
The
publican isn’t worried his decision will have major financial ramifications though
earlier world and European cups were screened.
“I don’t believe there will be a big impact. This isn’t a typical football pub. There are more than enough pubs in the
neighbourhood. Sometimes people are happy to find a pub
without any footie”
