Rabat – The Rabat city council publicly announced, on November 26, that the 7eme art cafe will be completely demolished within 48 hours.
On October 31, 2021, a social media message announced the official closing of the emblematic cafe.
Local authorities explained the decision was due to the cafe having been “built on a land title that did not belong to it.”
The cafe tenant, Fouad Lougami, specified that he had heard news that a major urban construction project is set to take place in the place of the cafe, under the name “Rabat, city of light, capital of Culture,” according to Morocco’s french speaking media outlet, Le360.
“Compensation for this loss is planned,” said a member of the city council.
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The cafe, which is one of the few cafes in the city with a sizable terrace, was built in 1997 and has since become a symbol of culture in the Moroccan capital.
Rabat’s residents, the cafe’s employees, as well as the regular customers were distraught by the unexpected news, which would be robbing them of a peaceful and calming hideaway at the heart of the city.
During the early 2000s, the symbolic cafe was known for being an excellent space for meetings, intellectual exchanges and relaxation for artists, actors and cinema lovers in Morocco.
“There are more than 30 employees at this cafe. The majority of us fully rely on our job here to make a living,” said an employee to Morocco World News.
Grievers for the loss of Rabat’s cultural asset are hoping to see the manager and the employees compensated in the best way possible, to make up for the sorrowful announcement.
