“It will go to a town hall meeting quickly, we’re organising ourselves and it’s one of the fundamental issues and one of my priorities,” said Joana Oliveira e Costa.
The councilor was speaking at a joint hearing of the 1st and 2nd committees of the Lisbon Municipal Assembly, on the subject of the city’s proposed budget for 2025, totalling €1.359 billion.
The issue of the opening hours of commercial establishments that operate in night-time entertainment areas, and the noise caused, was raised by the president of the Misericórdia Parish Council, Carla Madeira (PS), a municipal councillor by virtue of her position.
“The quality of life has been jeopardised by the unregulated growth of the nightlife, we have safety problems in Cais do Sodré and on the waterfront. There’s no will to mitigate them,” she said.
In response, the Councillor for the Economy and Innovation recognised that there is a problem with the ‘night-time economy’ and an ‘imbalance’ between the activity of night-time establishments and the quality of life of residents in these areas.
“The night-time economy has worsened and we have no illusions whatsoever about this imbalance when it comes to the issue of noise measured inside establishments. That’s one of the issues we’ve taken care of in this new project,” said Joana Oliveira e Costa.
The councilwoman said that the new municipal noise regulations, which will also regulate the opening hours of commercial establishments, will be “essential for clarifying” some issues that currently raise doubts.
“It’s a way of trying to clarify the issue of noise, make the rules clearer and how commercial establishments should be authorised and equipped,” she said.
During the hearing, which was also attended by the deputy mayor of Lisbon, Filipe Anacoreta Correia (CDS-PP), the leadership of the city council also emphasised the importance of tourism for the city and the tourist tax.
This is the last municipal budget of this mandate (2021-2025), proposed by the PSD/CDS-PP administration under Carlos Moedas (PSD), which governs Lisbon without an absolute majority. If approved, it will be implemented in a municipal election year.
The first three budgets of the PSD/CDS-PP leadership were approved due to the PS abstaining, with the rest of the opposition – PCP, BE, Livre and Cidadãos Por Lisboa (elected by the PS/Livre coalition) – voting against.
