Budapest party district: 2/3 of bars decided to remain closed at night
Regulating Budapest’s party district has been in the spotlight all year. Eventually, a silence decree was passed, closing bars between 12 and 6 am. Business owners were outraged, but now only 1/3 of them requested permits to remain open.
Budapest’s party district is the general area of Erzsébetváros, surrounded by Erzsébet Boulevard, Király Street, Károly Boulevard, and Rákóczi Road. As we have reported earlier, the General Assembly of Erzsébetváros passed a silence decree in July, which regulates the opening hours at night more strictly than ever before. The decree influences the life of business owners and workers in the district who opposed the regulation early on by protesting.
The need for more serious regulations has been evident for a while. Residents of Erzsébetváros have been outraged by the situation in the party district since 2017. Their main concerns are the noise and waste left behind by drunks, mostly tourists who only come to Budapest to blow off steam.
The new decree was finally passed earlier this summer, and it states that shops and bars must be closed between 12 am and 6 am. However, authorities did offer a compromise for business owners. Bars had the possibility to apply for special permits which would enable them to remain open between 12 am and 6 am under certain conditions. Shops that do not sell alcohol also have the privilege of applying for the permit, hvg reports.
To receive the special permit, bars are not allowed to let their guests drink and shout in public spaces, they must allow everybody to use their restrooms, and they cannot load up stuff during the night. Also, they must measure the noise levels and clean the street where they operate.
Business owners were outraged by the new decree. They claimed that the party district “lost its life to the last wound received from headless district ordinances and public conditions.” However, a surprisingly low number of establishments have applied for the special permit allowing them to remain open between 12 am and 6 am.
Read alsoWorkers of Budapest’s party district protest by organising funeral procession
Data from the district’s city hall reveals that altogether 138 establishments requested the permit. Over half of them (72) were already granted it, and the rest are currently remedying the deficiencies in their applications. This is only one-third of all the establishments in the party district.
There are many possible reasons why two-thirds of the establishments have not requested a permit. Probably many of these are still dealing with the aftermath of the first wave of coronavirus infections, and most of them are likely preparing for a possible second wave.
Source: www.hvg.hu
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6 Comments
we need to move from mass tourism to class tourism (we need more cruise tourism, families, high income groups, conferences etc.)… limiting noise and cheap alcohol parties is a step in the right direction…
The ramifications of humongous destructive proportions, that this novel coronavirus continues to leave, in it’s un-finished journey, tourism, the importance to countries, in there economies, has been pulverized.
Sadly, there has been horrendous numbers of losers, in the tourism sector of society, who have seen there businesses and life style, evaporated, taken away from them, through this novel coronavirus.
We feel deeply for them.
It does present us, as a society or community, with the opportunity, when in time, life returns to a degree of normality, the function and operation of social venues, tourist driven, by there visitation, such as the District V11of –
Erzsebetvaros, the absolute need of blending into the community, in new ways, that does not impede on the house owners, there life-style, of the mentioned District.
It must be a “level ” playing field – give and take, that the District, it’s reputation, as the principal tourist frequented District of Budapest, does not get sunk crushed and ultimately disappear.
The vibrant tourist countries of the world, there capital cities, they all have the likes of District 2 and experience the same or similar act’s of behaviour, that tourists and others have a reputation and legacy, to display, in District 2.
We need District 2, in Budapest.
There must remain open door dialogue going forward, from council, business operations and residents, to find the happy medium, that sees District 2, retained and operated that pleases ALL.
Say Well – ALL.
My sincere apologies to readers.
I have referred comments as District 2 which should be District V11.
Oh dear oh dear Gary: What has happened to your english? ‘in it’s un-finished…’ should b ‘ in its unfinished’. ‘in there economies’ – there???? THEIR! The list goes on. Perhaps I should proof read for you before you post? Lol!
Tolerance – we must retain the “spirit and vibrance ” – the reputation, that District V11 has, – it’s the growing European status, as a sort after “must visit
place” when visiting Budapest.
The vast majority of the capital cities of the world, have a place in there “chemistry” there “souls” – like District V11.
There must be a tolerance – agreement and position understanding between (5) four groups.
They are :
(1) – the Government.
(2) – the District Council.
(3) – the residents property owners of District V11.
(4) – the venue operators.
(5) – Police.
It can’t be a fragmented tolerance agreement, but one that clearly and amicable functions and operates, that ALL parties clearly understand, sign off on in agreement, that insures it’s a – win-win – result for ALL.
There will have to be give and take, to make, moving forward, District V11, an orderly functioning location, for the “culture” and entertainment, it vibrantly provides for Budapest and Tourist.
Communication of ALL parties is Vital.
They must meet together – communicate – there positions and then together work out the formula, procedures and policies and Responsibilities, that ensures District V11 – survives and grows, in it’s reputation, as a must visit place, in our nations capital city.
No blatant power games or dominance, should be entertained by any of the principal parties, that the Future of District V11 rests with there positions.
Tolerance – working together – to make it work, and not split destroy nor fragment, what District V11 has to offer Budapest, and through tourism – Hungary.
#Albert: An interesting case study would be an area known as Shoreditch, London. That became almost overnight a trendy ‘party’ and club area, the problems associated with that hitting residents like a tsunami back in circa 2000. A whole range of policies had to be developed very quickly by the local authority (Hackney Council), the Police and Residents Associations. Among the many things put into place were a) total sound proofing of venues b) volume limiters within premises set at levels determined the council licensing team c) a night time levy on all venues staying open late to fund the extra police and clean up teams needed d) the burden of proof on new venues to prove that they will not add to cumulative impact e) the creation of SPA’s – special policy areas – in which it was deemed that saturation of licensed premises had occurred so no new licenses for venues would be issued. These measures greatly improved the situation for all concerned and Shoreditch has retained its vibrant nightlife and remains a tourist magnet as well as being much used by Londoners.