The new Regulation of Movida do Porto, which delimits zones and imposes time restrictions, comes into force this Wednesday, but its effectiveness in solving the “problem” of alcohol consumption on public roads divides residents and establishments.
In the new regulation, which comes into force, the Movida zone in Porto, which concentrates most of the nightlife spaces in the city, is “extended” and is now differentiated into three distinct zones: “Núcleo da Movida, Zona Protegida and Containment Zone”.
In the “Contention Zone”, opening hours are only limited to establishments that sell alcoholic beverages for consumption outside, namely grocery stores, wine cellars and convenience stores. These spaces will open between 06:00 and 21:00 in the three zones.
In the “Protected Zone”, which surrounds the arteries with the most residents, along with restrictions on establishments that promote botellón (meeting in a public space to drink alcoholic beverages purchased in advance), the other spaces can only operate between 06:00 and 24:00.
In the “Núcleo da Movida”, which involves areas with fewer residents, service establishments “with an accessory section for food and drinks”, such as those located in shopping centers, will start operating between 06:00 and 24:00 .
In this zone, catering and beverage establishments with dance spaces and an area of less than 100 square meters can only operate until 02:00 am, while spaces intended for dancing with an area greater than or equal to 100 square meters can operate until 04:00 am .
The regulation prohibits the sale of beverages on public roads between 9 pm and 7 am, as well as the sale of beverages for later consumption on public roads.
Contacted by Lusa, the president of the Association of Bars and Discos of Movida do Porto, Miguel Camões, said he believed that the new regulation would create the long-awaited “balance” between residents and nightlife establishments.
Noting that it is “difficult to please both parties”, Miguel Camões said, however, that measures such as those that help control botellón or that establish the opening hours of convenience stores bring benefits both for bars and clubs, as well as for the residents themselves.
“Anything that helps to control this phenomenon is advantageous”, he observed.
The president of the Union of Parishes of the Historic Center of Porto, Nuno Cruz, defended that the new regulation “helps the residents”, but does not solve the problem of alcohol consumption on public roads, urging the Government to train the police forces to act .
“With this regulation, the Porto Chamber is trying to help the residents, but the problem will not end until the Government proceeds with the prohibition of alcohol consumption on public roads”, he said, also in statements to Lusa, Nuno Cruz.
Nuno Cruz also highlighted that residents of that area of the city feel “abandoned by the State”, reinforcing that, as long as people do not return to nightlife establishments, and remain on the public road having fun, the “problem will continue”.
The Regulation of Movida do Porto was in public consultation from the 18th of May to the 30th of June 2022, with 18 pronouncements being presented, to which 25 were added in the constitution of interested parties (which ran from the 16th of March to the 5th of April) , says the public consultation report.
Pronunciations include those of the Association of Bars in the Historic Area of Porto, the Association of Bars and Discos of Movida do Porto, the Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Similar Services in Portugal — AHRESP, of the residents of Rua da Alegria, Rua Santa Catarina and Rua D. João IV, the Union of Parishes of the Historic Center, as well as political parties such as PS, BE and CDU.
Street vending, the consumption of drinks on public roads, supervision and control and operating hours and limits are some of the topics covered by the participants.
With these changes to the regulation, which was created in 2015, the municipality intended to “adapt it to the post-covid-19 pandemic reality and the profound changes that the dynamics of the city’s nightlife have undergone”, such as the sale of alcoholic beverages at the gate. and the use of public space “inappropriately, namely the consumption of alcoholic beverages on public roads and carrying out noise-producing activities, which have a negative impact on the city’s nightlife and on the quality of life of its residents”.
The document also establishes a two-month “transitional regime” for nightlife establishment owners to adapt to the changes.