Historic Fez Café Demolished Amid Controversy Over Expansion Plans

The radical decision to demolish the café followed the manager’s attempt to transform it into a restaurant specializing in the sale of chicken. This initiative sparked a strong controversy, as the transformation was deemed incompatible with the environmental vocation of the site.

The Rex Garden, located near Slaoui and Mohammed V Avenues, has recently undergone partial redevelopment. The authorities justified the demolition by the need to preserve the aesthetics and environment of the garden. The operation, carried out with the help of bulldozers, took place in the presence of local authorities and the competent services.

The tenant was operating the café under a lease agreement signed in 2004 with the Association of Social Works of the Employees of the Municipality of Fez. This 33-year lease was canceled by the authorities. The involvement of the municipality, then led by the Party of Justice and Development, in this matter contributed to amplifying the controversy.

The wave of demolitions was not limited to the sole café in the Rex Garden. Several other establishments belonging to the same owner, specializing in the sale of chicken, were also demolished. These establishments, located in different parts of the city, were illegally occupying the public domain. Their destruction is part of a large-scale campaign led by the authorities to free the public space from illegal occupations.

The owner of the demolished establishments had also transformed part of the Teaching Club, initially an internet café, into a chicken restaurant. This transformation, carried out in a place dedicated to cultural activities, raises questions about the authorizations that allowed such a change of use.