Alumnus Peter Beuving: From Bike Café to a Modern Irish Pub

I myself never worked in the building of De Drie Gezusters in Breda, but I’ve always worked in the hospitality sector,’ tells Peter Beuving, who graduated in International Facility Management at NHTV (now BUas) in 2006. ‘After my studies I also used to work somewhere in a café or restaurant at weekends, just to help out and because I like giving people a good night out, with nice food which I often prepare myself. I used to say that I wanted to start my own café, a bike café, where people tinker with their bikes, have a beer and have a bite to eat.’ 

 

But things turned out differently. Peter worked on facility projects at companies such as Yacht and Yarden and came back to NHTV in 2016 with a wealth of experience to teach. He became facility manager here and a logical next step was the position of Campus & Workplace Services Manager. ‘The bike café had disappeared to the background a bit,’ laughs Peter, who likes cycling himself, ‘but when a friend of mine was talking about plans he had about the characteristic building at Grote Markt in Breda I was itching again...’

 

Conceptually strong

That friend is Jeroen Hersbach, owner of several hospitality businesses in Breda and Antwerp. ‘Jeroen also studied at NHTV, he studied Tourism, and after his graduation he started travelling,’ tells Peter. ‘Jeroen is conceptually very strong. He knows exactly what elements are required to create the vibe we envisage with our new business and how we should tackle things logistically. With my background in real estate and facility management, I am mostly good at the financial side, the business plan, and operational management. So, we complement each other well.’

 

Plans for the future

‘It’s a monumental building,’ Peter continues, ‘which may not be changed on the outside. It completely burned down in 2003, and afterwards, the façade was restored to its original state. We’re also doing everything in conjunction with the Monument Committee of the municipality now. We also followed that procedure when we were developing the BUas campus. The convent, which accommodates the Hotel, Facility and Tourism programmes, also has a monumental status, and the challenges are comparable. It takes time to get permits, and for that reason, we’ve opted for a minimal adaption of the building. But we certainly have plans for the future...’

 

Connection with the city

Go on! ‘We mostly want to offer space and an open place, give people the feeling they can always walk in here. Therefore, we want to use more glass in the façade in the future; in that way, we can strengthen the connection with the Grote Kerk and the city. The building was a dwelling once, it was also an inn, and even a dispensing chemist’s. That history didn’t lead us to a name. It became Maddox, which perfectly fits our idea of a modern Irish Pub. It’s a Celtic name for boys, girls and everything in between. Everybody is welcome with us!’

 

Common thread

‘The idea is that - wherever you are – you always see something interesting, which could lead to a story again. Jeroen and I picked up on that piece of concept development and Experience Design  during our studies. It’s pretty much the common thread in all BUas study programmes, so that’s what we’d also like to show. No, I’m not going to say more about it; just come and experience it yourself,’ laughs Peter. ‘In early June, you’ll be very welcome from 10 in the morning to one or two o’clock at night. For a coffee, lunch, dinner or a drink, and there will be a DJ playing from elevenish at night.’

 

A different world

‘We also want to organise events and in this way contribute to the liveliness of the city centre of Breda. I could use my experience I’ve gained with the BUas Events Team well. It‘s a very different world of course, and honestly, it feels as if I haven’t finished at BUas yet. I’d still have wanted to complete a number of projects on the campus, but this crossed my path. And no, it may not be a logical step, certainly not with a little one at home and the second baby’s on the way,’ laughs Peter, ‘but if you never leave the straight and narrow, perhaps nothing will change!’