The government of Mayor Jaume Collboni this week finished revoking the hourly limitations on bars, terraces and food establishments in the busiest parts of the Raval and Gòtic neighborhoods dictated in the previous mandate by the executive of the then mayor Ada Colau.
Faced with growing neighborhood complaints about noise, the community established from the Ciutat Vella district, during the spring of 2022, a series of time restrictions on the operation of dozens of businesses located mainly on Joaquín Costa street, Plaza dels Àngels and surrounding areas, in the Raval, and also on Escudellers Street, George Orwell Square and other nearby streets.
The measure was highly applauded by many residents of these neighborhoods, although they considered it insufficient. Here noise pollution is a major problem. Businesses, on the other hand, warned that in this way only franchises and large chains could get ahead in the designated areas.
The affected gambling dens had to close an hour earlier than those in the rest of Barcelona, and also advance the dismantling of their terraces. Dozens of grocery stores were also forced to close earlier. The truth is that those decrees angered many businessmen and self-employed workers. And the Gremi de Restauració of Barcelona filed an administrative dispute against the measure.
At the end of last year, the new councilor responsible for the Ciutat Vella district, the socialist Albert Batlle, announced that he was revoking the initiative of his predecessor, the common Jordi Rabassa. Apparently the City Council's legal services detected a formal error in the processing of these limitations, and warned the executive that the restaurateurs would win the lawsuit.
In recent weeks, different revocations have been taking place. Only the one that affected 17 food establishments located in the Barri Gòtic remained to be formalized. These stores had to remain closed from ten at night to seven in the morning. Yesterday's Municipal Gazette reported the definitive end of this restriction.
Meanwhile, the Ciutat Vella district is working on a new municipal plan to stop noise in these streets and squares. The new strategy includes the installation of eight sound level meters, as well as improving mediation to resolve conflicts. Establishing new time restrictions on economic activities seems like a discarded idea. At least for now.
