Lijnbaan

[3] Flower beds, benches, statues, aviaries and protective wooden canopies were provided.

In spite of the initial fears of shopkeepers, the car-free area proved successful.

High-end shops thrived and it became a recreation destination, with visitors from all over the Netherlands.

However in the 1980s there was a decline as the original shopkeepers retired or left, replaced by large chains.

It became a night-time no-go area with shop windows protected by roller shutters.