The English Square

Councillor of Tourism and Deputy Mayor Gema Amor, together with Jose Marcet, Councillor of Security have submitted a request to extend the opening hours of bars and clubs throughout the Winter months, so that they are the same as the Summer. But before you all get too excited, it´s only by half an hour!

The Summer closing times, which are applicable between 15th June and 15th September allow bars, restaurants and cafes to remain open until 2am, Disco/Cabaret bars until 4am and Nightclubs until 7am. The request asks for the same Summer hours on Friday and Saturday nights and the Eve of any Bank Holidays, with Gema Amor explaining that the hospitality and nightlife business is extremely important to the economy of the resort - someone talking sense there. But she reiterated the need to do it with the support and respect of the rights of the residents too.

Streets of the Old Town

However, the Old Town will NOT be included in this proposal following persistent complaints over the Summer months from the residents! The residents of a square at the bottom end of Avd Ruzafa instigated a "hate campaign" over the Summer months - they continually threw buckets of water down onto the customers of bars and restaurants sitting at tables below. The police were called out almost on a nightly basis as tempers rose between residents and restaurant/bar owners - unsurprisingly in my opinion! It´s a difficult balancing act for the police I should think...

Earlier this year the GIE - Grupo de Inspeccion de Establecimientos was disbanded after 20 years and integrated into the local police. They were an independent police department that inspected bars and clubs, ensuring that they adhered to closing times and noise pollution levels. The breakup of the department caused much ill feeling between the police department and the Councillor for Security who questioned the discipline and reputation of the GIE. However, Marcet maintains that the department was not dismantled but intergrated into another unit as a result of the creation of community policing.

Will half an hour realistically make much difference - Im not too sure. But at least there is acknowledgement that the entertainment sector is important to the town, of which the Brits make up a huge percentage.