Vrijbuiter, a group of four camping megastores in the Netherlands, was declared bankrupt by a court in the north of the country on July 31, but the stores will remain open in a bid to secure a fresh start. Vrijbuiter is a sizeable Dutch account for some outdoor brands, as its flagship store of about 25,000 square meters in Roden once claimed about 1.2 million visits per year, with some customers coming over from Germany and Denmark. The three other stores are in Gouda, Roermond and Zaandam. Two lawyers from De Haan Advocaten in Assen have been appointed as trustees. They issued a press release saying that the problems at Vrijbuiter appear to stem from long-term commitments, growth ambitions and tough circumstances in the retail market. They said they were searching for ways to keep the business going, adding that several interested parties had come forward. Far-reaching adjustments have been implemented at the company in the last years under the leadership of Steven de Raat, who handed over the leadership in July last year to Ivo Richaers.

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