Brown, grimy… and historic: the battle to save Amsterdam’s old bars

Classic, smoke-stained Dutch drinking spots should be given protected status, say campaigners

On the bar is a dispenser for Dutch jenever - the liquor that inspired British gin - silver taps of lager and 10 hard-boiled eggs at 1 a pop.

Cafe de Druif is one of Amsterdam's oldest brown bars", or bruine kroegen, and part of a movement to preserve these cosy drinking rooms.