A football match in Groningen does not last for 90 minutes; it is an all-day affair that begins and ends in the historic city center. Page 28 of the August 2013 matchday programme captures a vital piece of this matchday ecosystem with a modest but inviting advertisement for Grand Café Time Out, located on the famous Poelestraat.
For anyone familiar with Groningen, the Poelestraat is the undisputed beating heart of the city’s nightlife and hospitality. The advertisement for Time Out highlights its versatility: “Lunch, Borrel, Diner, Zalen” (Lunch, Drinks, Dinner, Event Rooms) with a capacity for up to 150 people. In the context of a football programme, this ad is highly strategic. It targets the groups of friends, fan clubs, and families who maintain the sacred Dutch tradition of the pre-match borrel (drinks and snacks) or the post-match dinner. Before making the journey to the Euroborg on the outskirts of the city, fans need a central rallying point, and classic “bruin cafés” and grand cafés like Time Out serve as the unofficial clubhouses of the city.
The photo in the ad shows a warm, dimly lit interior filled with people—a stark contrast to the cold, concrete concourses of a modern stadium. It reminds us that the commercial success of a football club is deeply intertwined with the local hospitality sector. When FC Groningen wins, the taps on the Poelestraat flow much faster later that evening.
A Look into the Future
Grand Café Time Out is a true Groningen survivor. Originally opened in 1976 by the local Jager family as a “Bar-Dancing” venue, it evolved over the decades into the massive, 300-square-meter grand café advertised here in 2013. Fast forward to 2026, and while many hospitality concepts have come and gone, Time Out remains a steadfast anchor of the Poelestraat. It survived the massive disruptions of the 2020s pandemic and the shifting trends of modern dining, proving that the simple, timeless formula of good beer, hearty food, and a warm atmosphere is exactly what the people of Groningen—and the fans of the Pride of the North—will always return to.