A week after its mayor, Luis Barcala, criticized the suggestion of the Vice President of Government, Yolanda Díaz, to advance the closing hours of restaurants, his government team announced yesterday that it will propose in plenary session to advance the closing of restaurants by one hour. the terraces in the city’s bars and restaurants. Of course his motivation is different. If Díaz thought about the rest of the hospitality workers, Barcala is moved by that of the neighbors.
The Governing Board of the city council yesterday approved the draft ordinance regulating the Temporary Occupation of Public Roads. The new regulations, which combine the current ordinances for nightstands and non-sedentary sales, that is, markets, will be taken to the plenary session for approval.
Among the novelties introduced, the consolidation of the terraces in the authorized parking strips stands out, which was introduced for the first time in an extraordinary way during the pandemic, and the reduction of the closing hours of nightstands “to advance in the conciliation of economic activity and “neighborhood rest”, as explained by councilor Cristina Cutanda.
In terms of schedules, the draft ordinance anticipates the night closing by one hour in general hours compared to those currently in force. In this way, the opening is contemplated from 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. from Monday to Friday, while on weekends and work holidays the hours are extended by one hour, from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. the following day.
In the case of summer time, the period is reduced by two weeks as it begins on June 15, instead of day 1, and extends until September 30. In this period, the closing from Sunday to Thursday is anticipated from the current 2 to 1 in the morning, although on Fridays, Saturdays and the eve of holidays it remains at 2 the following day.
In response to complaints from the neighborhood associations of the Traditional Center, who argue that the noise at night also prevents them from resting in the summer, the spokesperson for the government team, Manuel Villar, has stated that, understanding the inconvenience, “February is not the same as August.” , in a tourist city like Alicante, and a Saturday is not the same as a weekday.”
The new ordinance contemplates the possibility of expanding the size of the stalls in certain cases when it comes to food markets. The Esplanade market also disappears on October 31, 2024, and the San Antón market becomes managed by the neighborhood festival commission, while the location of the craft market on Avenida de Niza in the San Juan beach.
One of the measures included in this ordinance that regulates sales on public roads is the reservation of 10% of employment for new entrepreneurs or people in a situation of social exclusion at the request of the council.