POLLENSA NOISE CRACKDOWN

THIS coming Thursday, Pollensa town council is to approve new legislation which will force the night-time closure of bars and discothèques at certain times. The move comes to appease resident complaints of unreasonable noise levels in the early hours of the morning.

Some neighbours, said a council spokesman yesterday, have been engaged in legal battles with late-night businesses for years simply in order to get a good night's sleep.

The problem, he said, is particularly acute in the Port of Pollensa where residents in Plaça Miquel Capllonch have prompted council technicians to set up sound measuring metres to see if the noise levels fall within legal limits.

Meanwhile neighbours in Calle Llebeig met up with local Mayor, Joan Cerdà last Thursday to seek an urgent solution to loud music coming from one particular bar late at night and in the early hours of the morning. The residents claim that despite their intentions to reason with the owner of the establishment, noise continues to be produced at what has been described as an “unbearable” level.

The new bylaws which are forecast to be passed by the council this coming week, won't alter the permissible sound limits but they will force bars to close at 4am at the latest whilst discothèques will be able to remain open until 6am, thereby preventing any “after dance” celebrations. “What we're trying to do is strike a balance between the rights of entertainment businesses to operate legitimately and those of local residents to get the sleep to which they are entitled,” said Cerdà.

No establishment, said the Mayor will be allowed to exceed the noise limits which have already been laid down and if they do, they will feel the full force of the law. He added that from now on, bars and discothèques would not be able to close at the hour they - or their customers - saw fit, but would have to conform to the new closing hours. Cerdà said that live music is not permitted at any of the bars in the municipality.