Cafes and brothels in Amsterdam city centre will have to close their doors earlier from April 2023 in an effort to reduce the nuisance to locals caused by crowds of tourists, if new council proposals come into force.

The new city administration wants cafes and bars to close at 2am on Friday and Saturday, rather than 3am or 4am, and says window brothels should shut at 3am rather than 6am.

The plan, which will affect 114 cafes and bars and 249 windows according to the Parool, will first be put out to consultation with locals and the companies concerned.

Officials hope the measure will reduce the problems for local residents ‘because visitors will go home or to their hotel earlier, or spread out over other locations in the city.’

The city has also introduced restrictions on alcohol sales, banned drinking on the street and introduced the option of closing off the red light district at peak periods in an effort to meet local protests.

Mayor Femke Halsema is also looking into the option of developing a sex centre at a purpose-built location away from the inner city.