Four terrace venues have been closed in Maspalomas by the San Bartolomé de Tirajana Council, for generating excessive noise due to having live entertainment without a proper permit or past licenced hours. They are all located in the Sunset Beach Meloneras Playa shopping centre, in the tourist hub in the south of Gran Canaria, and it highlights one of the main issues being faced in tourist areas like this.
The president of the National Association of Jurists Against Noise, Yomara García Viera, who is also a lawyer, explains that the problem often arises because, in many cases, businesses located in tourist areas face less stringent requirements from authorities and public opinion, given their presence in leisure-oriented zones.
"Even in tourist areas, there are limits, and rules must be followed. The government is obligated to ensure that noise regulations and the priority of the right to sleep for residents and tourists are upheld, especially when activities do not even have a license."
He continued, referring to the closed venues of Mamajuana, Zanzíbar, Aqua, and Bahama Beach House, by saying:
"Nobody would think it's acceptable to commit a crime just because we're in a tourist area, and nobody would think it's alright to drive at 200 kilometres per hour without a driver's license simply because we're in a tourist area. They don't have the correct licenses, and they continually exceed permitted noise limits. These activities find it profitable to break the rules, given the revenue they generate over a weekend. That's why it's essential for municipalities to act effectively, efficiently, and swiftly; otherwise, they could be held responsible for inaction."
Viera explains that the problem starts when the project is presented to the council in the first place, as owners know they won’t get an entertainment or music licence, so they apply for a bar-café one instead. All this is above board, but then the venues disregard what they are licenced for and put on live entertainment, DJ’s, shows, and events, both during the day and at night, outdoors and under open skies, clearly exceeding legal limits of noise and capacity, without the necessary authorization.
