Pablo Valdés, San Antonio’s environmental councillor confirmed yesterday that Ibiza’s San Antonio council passed a law that will force clubs and bars in the West End to shut down at 3 am instead of 5 am. The council vote will also force nightspots with terraces to close down at midnight instead of 2 am. This disastrous plan has been met with much disapproval from bar and nightclub owners that packed the public gallery attempting to sway the opinions of the Council.
Business owners were appeased with a slight compromise by the council allowing the terraces to stay open an hour later than the initial statement that they would have to close at 11 pm. This wasn’t nearly enough to make them happy considering the money and time they’ve invested in establishments that typically don’t fill up until 1 am.
Josep Tur, president of the association of West End Business owners wasn’t happy, stating, according to Diario De Ibiza, “This will mean the death and ruin of the West End, and it’ll extend the party and the drinking throughout the rest of the town during early hours.”
The plans were unveiled at the start of December and they were designed to improve San Antonio’s image. Council chiefs admitted they feel the West End has devalued the overall standing of the town.
Valdes has said that the noise levels in the West End in the summer have been “monstrous.” A study last year found the noise levels reached 85.9 decibels, 20 decibels above the legal limit. He says that the law is a step towards “realizing that a different San Antonio is possible and that one can live and run any kind of business, but in a respectful way.”
Via: Magnetic Mag
