Lights out at midnight: the end of the party district in Budapest?

The Gozsdu Udvar in Király Street in the Erzsébetváros entertainment district on the night of 18 February 2018. On this day, a referendum was held on whether restaurants in the so-called party district in the capital's 7th district should be allowed to stay open between midnight and 6am. Source: MTI/Zsolt Szigetváry

In Budapest’s 7th district, Erzsébetváros, a proposal would require catering establishments and nightclubs to close at midnight five days a week. According to Színes Erzsébetváros, the cultural site of the 7th district, this is nowhere near far, for several reasons. Continue reading for more information.

Színes Erzsébetváros has received a proposal that would require catering establishments and nightclubs to display a “Closed” sign at midnight five days a week, hvg.hu reports. “The Board of Representatives of District VII can make decisions on essential changes without the participation of the working group preparing decisions on the internal closing time and the criteria for exemption from it,” writes Színes Erzsébetváros on its Facebook page.

Proposal for nightclubs to close at midnight

They say that they have received a proposal that would require all catering establishments and night clubs to observe the midnight closing time on all days of the week except Friday and Saturday night. The problem, they underscore, is that the proposal for a tightening of the rules was not preceded by consultation with the working group tasked with solving the problem of the party district and the stakeholders.

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“If there is now a substantial change in the way catering establishments operate, it will be without any meaningful consultation of stakeholders,” they write, adding that the proposal would also see midnight closing time for all places five days a week come into force from 17 October.

There was already a regulation

They recall that two years ago, the district introduced a midnight closing time regulation that allows restaurants that want to be considerate of the residents of the district to be open even after midnight under certain strict criteria. However, the regulation “has not brought reassurance from the stakeholders, and there are growing question marks around its application.”

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“The leader of the working group, Mónika Ujvári-Kövér, resigned from her position as deputy mayor this summer. One can only speculate whether her resignation may be related to the fact that the follow-up of the package of proposals put forward by the working group two years ago (and adopted by the Council of Representatives) and the fine-tuning of the rules with the stakeholders has obviously been completely neglected lately,” they write.

According to information from Színes Erzsébetváros, the last working group consultation was six months ago.

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Source: hvg.hu, Facebook/Színes Erzsébetváros

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1 Comment

Disheartened : says:

12/09/2022 at 20:28

Brutality – the impact of this decision, going back, what occured in Party District,post February 2020 – that DECIMATED – businesses, employment numbers and the quality of peoples lives – through lack of work & income – HORRENDOUS.
Recovery time post the “Worse” of the Noval Pandemic, still rather Stop-Start but eventually getting a longish period of time months to do what the Party District does – being a place with a REPUTATION in Europe, that the younger generations from vast countrys in Europe, evan attracting Global “party” goers – KNOW – has a reputation that is regarded “up there with the best” – if not the BEST in Europe, as a PLACE to Party.
Its just tragic – and AGAIN will “rip” the guts out of this District, businesses and staff/workers, who earn their living, from working in venues in The Party District.
Trust that a “common ground” – from Dialogue can be agreed through Government & District Council and business owners, to LESSEN the Pain, these shortened hours on business and the lives of hundreds / possible thousands will INFLICT.
Winter – is FAST approaching, which for the Party District, the “drop off” of tourism and the (3) three day – week-enders from “other” places – another CHALLENGE to the Party District.
Democracy is DIALOGUE and lets ENSURE – it HAPPENS.