Clubs’ open hours will be regulated in Budapest?

Magyar Nemzet reports that a few of Budapest’s central districts would like to regulate the open hours of the local clubs by orders. The leading figures of the districts argue that this change is necessary since local people have the right to relax peacefully and businesses must respect it.

A draft plan has already been made in District IX, which recommends the clubs to close at 11.00 pm from Sunday until Thursday, while on Friday and Saturday they could be open until midnight. Clubs can depart from it only by the permission of the notary, but it can be withdrawn by the city-panning, the urban management and the environmental committeess whenever, for example, local people ask for it by reasons.

“The current change seems to be milder than the present situation, since now without special permission communal places can be open until 10.00 pm. However, the draft plan does not say anything about what circumnstances can lead to the withdrawal of the overnight operational permit, so the committee can decide the future of businesses on the basis of subjective views” – states Dániel G. Német, project manager of Budapest Éjjel, the communitiy containing businessmen, residents and experts. The group was formed half a year ago in order to create the possibility of discussions and to build a bridge between the displeased locals and the clubs by an effective project. They have also launched a petition on their website, which aims to find more and more supporters of the start of the discussions.

“The locals often complain about the noises and the lots of rubbish. These problems could be solved by common action. We think in practical solutions, for example, we would like to improve the security guards’ conflict management and command of English while trained to give first aid as well. If more qualified security quards stood at the entrance, they would be better at communicating with the people of Budapest as well as foreigners, thus having more chance to make them bevahe according to the expected norms when leaving the clubs” – said the project manager.

“It would also be favourable if tourists could use the restroom of more hotels and bars, even without consumption, instead of the current compulsive solution on the streets” – Dániel G. Német listed further plans. He thinks that pollution can also be reduced if the plastic glasses were replaced by degradable ones.

There are plenty of ideas, though the unjustified regulation of the open hours is missing from the list, since they believe it would just generate further problems.

Magyar Nemzet was also informed that another order is in process about the new open hours in District VIII, which earlier wanted to introduce the compulsory closing at 10.00 pm. “This would practically mean bankrupt for many places” – an anonymous local club owner from District VIII stated, who believes that the income necessary for operation is impossible to be produced until 10.00 pm. The owner thinks if clubs cannot operate in District VIII and IX, three times more people will go to District V, VI and VII. “Discussion is needed between the local government and the clubs in order to solve the problems together. We do not want to disturb the locals, and experience has shown that an insignifact minority is disturbed by the noises” – said the owner, who thinks that if a such an order came into force in Dictrict VIII like in District IX, local people could even blackmail club owners: either they pay or the locals will ask the notary for earlier closure.

Magyar Nemzet has also asked the local governments of the central districts about the possible plans. District VI clearly stated that this question is not at issue, while District VIII admitted that the order is in process. “Our goal is to create a realistic regulation by finding the balance, as the operation of local businesses that respect the neighbourhood is important for us” – they wrote. District IX answered that the regulation of the open hours are necessary due to the overnight relaxation of the locals. The order of District IX was discussed on the session of May 25.

Source: mno.hu