The “terrace” is generally synonymous with relaxation and entertainment, but in Seville it has become embroiled in a bitter dispute between hoteliers and neighbours. In a city that aims to exceed its historic tourist ceiling this summer, the former see them as an economic lung, a hook and a way to expand its capacities. For the latter, for the inhabitants, uncontrolled and poorly planned terraces are a source of noise, discomfort and dirt, contributing to making life in the urban area of ​​Seville “unbearable”. The city council wanted to mediate this complex coexistence by changing the local regulations.

The problem is that by doing so he has further fuelled the debate.

What’s happening? In Seville, there is a fierce debate between hoteliers and residents of the centre over candlelit terraces. And there are not a few in the city. By the end of 2023 A B C He assured that there are around 1,300 businesses that have installed them. These establishments are not always easy to coexist with neighbours because of the dirt, noise and space they take up on pavements and squares and cause friction in many cities in Spain, but in Seville they have caused particularly heated debate and the media.

The reason is very simple. And a bit paradoxical. The Seville City Council revised its regulation on candlelight terraces in an attempt to “balance” the rights of hoteliers and residents, but at least so far the decision has done the opposite: hoteliers are already suggesting that they will submit amendments, but the text has been changed. This has particularly angered neighbors, who are unhappy with much of its content and warn that the document will allow “savagery.”

An update. What the Seville City Council wants is to change its regulation, passed more than a decade ago, on the subject of arranging terraces with candles, to “adapt” them to the changes and “respond to the various problems”. To this end, on June 28, the Local Government Council gave its first approval to the rule change and the popular mayor, José Luis Sanz, hopes to take the text to the municipal general assembly in September. “The text aims to strike a balance between the demands of the hospitality sector and the rights of residents and citizens to rest and enjoy public spaces,” the Consistory argues.

A complex task. To achieve this, the City Council is proposing a series of changes. One of the most important points, which creates the greatest friction between neighbors and hoteliers, is the closing time: The ordinance will open its hands during the busiest weeks – Christmas, Santa Week, April Fool’s Day, Fridays, holidays and holiday eves – and delay this limit by one hour.

In particularly sensitive Acoustically Saturated Zones (ZAS), the maximum closing time will normally be midnight (00:00). Seville newspaper– It means to extend because it will go from eleven to twelve.

We get into the details. Yes, the revision of the 2013 regulation touches on other issues that are not directly controversial but are complex. For example, the text includes “new forms of occupation of terraces, parking lane platforms and terraces crossing the road”, a “pedestrian path” of at least 1.8 meters will have to be respected and “exceptionally”, customers considered “symbolic” will be allowed in “establishments that can drink on the street. But property owners must be responsible for cleaning the terraces of the tables, allowing complaints from neighbors.

The City Council also stresses that the disciplinary and sanctions regime has been “strengthened”: if a bar loses its authorization, two or more fines will be imposed. “Similarly, the amount of serious and very serious sanctions is adjusted in accordance with the Law on Promoting the Sustainability of the Region, opening up the possibility that repeated non-compliances will be brought to the attention of the Public Prosecutor’s Office,” the local government adds. A B C It says the most serious fines will rise to 120,000 euros.

“An unbearable environment to live in”The quotes are from Francisco Martínez, president of the Ancha la Feria association, who recently explained: Country How is the total? tourism And barification It affects the residents. “Just take a walk around the centre. It may be nice to have a beer, but it has become an aggressive and unbearable environment to live in.”

She is not the only one to show her displeasure. Another neighbourhood association in Seville, Barrio de Santa Cruz, has described the new closing hours as “disgusting” and warned of how it will affect those living closest to the candlelit terraces: “Even if they close at that time, there is still a margin for collection, which is often not met because customers are allowed to stay there,” it warns.

A complex balanceThe president of the association, María José del Rey, acknowledges that the norm includes some neighborhood demands but questions the outcome: “It’s not about the regulation benefiting the neighbors and the other five articles benefiting the hoteliers. It’s about using common sense and allowing us to combine both our interests.”

Although the Seville City Council insists that changes to the regulatory ordinance will respond to a “period of study, work and evaluation” with all parties involved, residents are already talking about presenting claims.

“Disproportionate sanctions”. For hoteliers, this rule leaves a better taste in their mouths, albeit with nuances. Union president Alfonso Maceda admits that his overall assessment is “not bad”, but he does mention some points that do not convince them. For example, the toughening of sanctions.

In a recent interview with SER, he complained that the sanctions proposed by the City Council were “disproportionate”. Another point that did not convince them and that they were considering opposing was the obligation to leave a 1.8-metre pedestrian path, a margin that is difficult to guarantee in the historic centre. He proposes reducing this dimension to 1.5m.

Images | Francisco Anzola (Flickr) and Taisia ​​Karaseva (Unsplash)

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