Scrambling to restore Albufeira’s good name after so much bad press, the popular tourist destination’s town council has brought in a new ‘prohibition’, on top of all the prohibitions imposed by the Code of Conduct.
This one requires the support of sales outlets that habitually sell alcohol to drunken holidaymakers through the night, for consumption in the ‘open air’/ streets/ even on the beaches.
From now on, until October 31, any establishment caught selling alcohol to people ‘circulating through the town’ between the hours of 11pm to 8am will run the risk of prosecution for the crime of disobedience.
As reports explain, the new rule – adding to others brought in to bring Albufeira back from the brink – seeks to “combat public disorder’. It covers establishments located in all the ‘party districts’: Avenida Sá Carneiro and ‘adjacent arteries’, as well as the Baixa de Albufeira (for full details see below).
In a statement, the municipality has referred to the need to “secure the well-being of the local population”, which has had to live with drunken excesses for many years. “The objective is to avoid situations of public disorder, motivated by the excessive consumption of alcohol. During the period in question, the sale of these products will only be permitted for consumption within the interior of establishments”.
Indeed, mayor José Carlos Rolo has stressed that the municipality is ‘watching the evolution of the situation’ and will not hesitate “in taking other measures that show themselves to be necessary”.
“The possibility of permanent restriction of the sale of alcoholic drinks for outdoor consumption is under analysis, particularly as part of the work to review regulations governing opening hours for commercial and service establishments in the municipality”.
In other words, establishments are warned: break the terms of this ban, and there could be an even stricter one to follow, or, worst case scenario, the business could face losing its licence altogether.
Road map of nighttime alcohol ban
In detail, Lusa reports that the ban takes in Rua Vasco Santana, Pátio Sá Carneiro, Beco Sá Carneiro, Travessa Sá Carneiro, Avenida dos Descobrimentos (between the “worms roundabout” and the “globe roundabout”), Rua Mouzinho de Albuquerque, Rua Júlio Dinis, Travessa Antero de Quental, Rua Alexandre Herculano, Páteo da Aldeia, Rua da Vitória, Rua José Fontana, Avenida Infante Dom Henrique, Beco Infante Dom Henrique, Rua Ramalho Ortigão, Rua Oliveira Martins e Rua Vasco da Gama.
In the Baixa district, the ban covers establishments in Rua do MFA, Rua dos Telheiros, Rua Cândido dos Reis, Rua 5 de Outubro, Rua Alves Correia, Rua Ferreira de Castro, Rua Gonçalo de Lagos, Travessa 5 de Outubro, Travessa Cândido dos Reis, Avenida 25 de Abril, Avenida da Liberdade, Largo Engenheiro Duarte Pacheco, Cais Herculano e Praça dos Pescadores.
Fines already involved in breaking Code of Conduct
Anyone wearing a bikini/ bathing costume outside ‘authorised areas’ faces a fine of between €300 to €1,500. A similar fine is levied for people found urinating and/ or defecating in public areas.
‘Wild camping’ (camping outside authorised areas), or simply sleeping in the street, also implies a fine of between €150 to €750.
The simulation of sex acts, and/ or walking around naked faces a fine of between €500 and €1,800.
A combination of any or all of the above would presumably result in much higher fines.
