Since the beginning of this academic year, the Refter has been undergoing renovations. It was previously expected that the restaurant would re-open in January, but the opening date has been pushed back to late February or early March. Until that time, the Refter remains closed.
Original article: Irene Wilde
Translation: Vincent Veerbeek
‘We do not know the exact date of the opening yet’, says Gerben Smit, director of the Facilities & Services Department. ‘It took a few years to finalize the renovation plans and I am glad that we could start realizing them last summer. The project takes considerable effort, but students and staff will get to enjoy the result for years to come.’ Smith does expect the new Refter, which will be called Foodcourt, to open at the end of February. ‘If everything else goes according to plan, we hope the Refter will be operational again by the end of next month.’
Before the holidays, the Refter was open with a limited range of products, but now that the renovation has entered its final phase, the Refter is closed entirely. ‘In addition to realizing the food court, a number of other projects are happening on the ground floor of the Erasmus building. These things are all coming together right now, which is why the Refter remains closed.’ Until then, students will have to find a different place to spend their lunch break.
The old Refter will be barely recognizable once renovations are completed. There will be a number of ‘islands’ selling different kinds of food, such as Asian wok and Italian pizza. ‘The food court will be very dynamic’, Smit says excitedly. ‘Every weekday we will be open from 7.30 am to 8.00 pm. Depending on the time of day, different islands will be open.’
Construction is in the final stages right now, and trial sessions of the new concept will be held in February. ‘We are getting new kitchens with new equipment. That is why we are training our employees and inviting students to participate in trial sessions. It is not ideal right now, but we are making something beautiful for the university.’