Bowling De Witte Molen
THE ABANDONED MILL IN BELGIUM
‘Bowling De Witte Molen’ is an abandoned bowling hall and bar inside an old mill. The mill in Aarschot was built in 1920.
At the same place where they built the Bowling Mill another, first mill was burnt down in 1914. It was set on fire by the German army during the First World War. The current mill was built in 1920 on the foundations of the old one.
After the Second World War, a new owner switched from wind to electricity. But in the end the company went bankrupt and the mill was abandoned.
In 1954 the derelict mill was reconverted and extended with several outbuildings. Instead of the production of grain, it was used as a bowling hall with a bar and restaurant. The mill was painted white with the inscription ‘Witte Molen’ in large letters.
The mill became a protected monument in 1994. The owner sold the site to a casino in 2005, but the city refused a gambling permit. The derelict mill will be renovated. The bowling hall will be demolished, and the mill will have its original state and use back. I visited ‘Bowling De Witte Molen’ in 2011 and 2012. Follow this link for more abandoned locations in Aarschot.
