Dutch plan big Brexit beach party

Thousands of people have signed up on Facebook to a Dutch beach party for Brexit, featuring food from across the European Union to mark Britain’s departure.

Created by media worker Ron Toekook, the event calls for partygoers to meet at the seaside village of Wijk aan Zee near Amsterdam on October 31, the date Britain is meant to leave.

More than 9 000 people have already said they will attend, while 63 000 others are interested.

“It will be a nice goodbye to a good friend who is going on an exciting adventure, but is perhaps not too bright,” Toekook told the Dutch news agency ANP on Tuesday.

The party will involve “sitting in a deck chair with Dutch chips, French wine and German beer, watching Britain as it closes itself off”.

“If there is enough interest there may be a band that can play … We’ll Meet Again.”

Suggestions for other songs to be played included Dutch novelty boy band Breunion Boys and their single Britain Come Back.

Toekook said the party was a natural step for the Netherlands, which has had centuries of close cultural, trade and political links with Britain.

With their economies still closely intertwined, the Dutch have made major preparations in case Britain crashes out of the EU without a divorce deal on October 31.

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