Carey Camel
SEVILLA bars and restaurants are facing a blow to business following new regulations banning excessive noise in the city.
Although understandable – Spain has been named the noisiest country in Europe by the World Health Organization (WHO) – the laws have received massive retaliations from bar and restaurant owners.
Bars with televisions on the street, customers having ‘loud’ conversations and even outdoor domino games could be heavily fined under the new law.
Drivers are also being targeted, meaning no more revving engines, blaring stereo speakers or car alarms that go off for more than three minutes.
The price tag for breaking these new laws ranges from €300 to €300,000, but local authorities claim the ambiguously defined regulations would be very difficult to enforce.
The regulations follow a 4,000-strong petition from residents who complain that their children are not able to perform well in school because of the noise.
