A brief history
“A large place for drinking and eating” was the rather dull description of the Vooruit Café in the Vooruit newspaper in 1914. However, the Atlas statues – three men and one woman – have seen a lot more than just that.
The seniors’ ball every Sunday afternoon. The fashion shows by the Socialist Progressive Women. The Nazi flag during the Occupation. The Canadians who renamed it ‘Café Québec’ after the Liberation. Marc Uytterhoeven (a Flemish TV personality) who was supposed to introduce an exhibition, but forgot to prepare a speech. Jan Decleir (Flemish theatre personality) getting angry in the wee hours because he couldn’t get any more beer. The legendary boxing match between a British guitarist and a Belgian saxophonist in a real boxing ring. The cameras and microphones that recorded several live broadcasts. The gypsy band who brought the house down during a three-hour show and passed a hat round afterwards. The world cup football matches projected on a large screen. Raymond Van Het Groenewoud and the Violent Husband who played surprise sets. The Café Dansant with Icelandic music. The Midsummer Night movies which gave students an excuse to take a welcome break from studying. Young PARTS performers who literally rolled over the floor, in between the tables, and lost their clothes in the process. The improvisation big band which performed a live soundtrack for the Ronde van Vlaanderen (the biggest Flemish cycling event) projected on the screen.
Just to say that the Vooruit Café is more than just the entrance to the other halls: it is the meeting point of the Arts Centre.
Facts
The two double Atlas statues are the only original elements of the café. The original café and restaurant only took up the space at the front and the bar itself was positioned in between the statues. During the 1923 renovation work, the service rooms were demolished to connect the Café to the Wintertuin (Winter Garden), in order to form the present, much larger Café.
A staircase was built in the back, which led to the front building. As a result, space was cleared for the Majolica room, which appears to be suspended from the ceiling of the Café. It was then that the panelled ceiling was installed in the lower part of the Café. During the building’s gradual restoration, the Café was given a thorough facelift. The original floor tiles were restored and an air-conditioning system was installed.
At the beginning of 2001, the Café was equipped with a fixed stage and a sound system. These improvements are proof that the events in the Café (concerts, lectures, audio sessions, feature films, etc.) are taken seriously. Which is a good thing, as the Café has an average capacity of 400 people.
