The obligation to bring forward the closure from 2am to 1am has outraged the owners of the entertainment venues of the port of Vila and the Marina, which judge the measure as arbitrary and useless, and say it is responsible for the overcrowding that occurs every night.
“It’s ridiculous,” says David, the manager of the bar J.J., located on Carrer de la Mare de Déu. “Before people used to leave at varying times, but if you close everything at one o’clock you cause this crowd of people to accumulate”. The business owner is particularly indignant with the Govern: “It is a useless measure and made to do harm. From one to two o’clock at night is the hour in which we make the most money. It has no effect on health and destroys us economically”.
Raúl, in charge of the terrace of the Zoo Bar, located in the port expresses similar sentiments. “They said that they had to close earlier to avoid botellones and now there are more than ever, it is counterproductive. More botellones, more agglomeration, more illegal parties. And the only thing they can think of is that we close an hour earlier,” he says angrily, “people do not understand why at 1am we ask them to leave. I have arguments every night. Now the business is to organize the people who leave here and take them to the villas,” he concludes.