A world-famous tourist city in southern Spain has launched a major crackdown on rowdy tourists by introducing a ban to curb noise late at night. Alicante, a port city on the East Coast that has been a popular holiday destination for Brits for decades, has implemented Acoustically Saturated Zones (ZAS) following complaints from residents over noisy and antisocial behaviour caused by late-night parties. 

The measure came into force in the city’s Old Town on Tuesday (October 14), pending formal approval by the Environment Ministry within a month. The Old Town’s ZAS includes the Plaza de Quijano, as well as Calles Padre Malts, Virgen de Belen, Montengon and San Agustin, where the majority of restaurant and nightlife venues are concentrated. The ban now means that bars and restaurants will be forced to close at 12.30am on nights between Sunday and Thursday – extended to 1am for the rest of the week and on the eve of national holidays. Nightclubs are allowed to stay open until 1am for the early part of the week, stretching to 3am at the weekend.

The regulations will apply year-round, with the exception of the Christmas period and Bonfire celebrations, The Olive Press reported. 

The Alicante City Council approved the measure in March and revealed that those who violate the restrictions could face penalties of up to €300,000 (£250,000). Meanwhile, visitors, locals, or businesses deemed to be creating excessive noise in these zones could also be fined, ranging from €600 (£500) to €30,000 (£25,000).

The local authority stated at the time that local police would conduct a special operation to ensure that closing times are observed and bar terraces are cleared.

The ZAS also gives officers the power to “disperse groups of people in the vicinity of premises once they have closed”.

Yet, the ban has impacted more than just restaurants and bars. 24-hour shops, bakeries, and outlets selling out-of-hours takeaway meals are now required to close between 12:30 and 7am.

Another major change introduced by the ZAS is the reduction of outdoor terrace areas by 50%, along with the requirement that tables and chairs must be removed earlier.

Alicante is not the only tourist hotspot in Spain to have implemented a ZAS as part of its crackdown on tourism. In 2019, Malaga implemented the noise ban on specific streets based on studies that found noise levels exceeded 65 decibels during the day and 55 decibels at night. Primarily found in the historic centre and the Teatinos neighbourhood, the city implemented a ban on opening new bars and restaurants in these zones in January 2020 and restrictions on the hours of existing establishments in a bid to improve the quality of life for residents.