Tireless political campaigner Mendes Bota – the man who demanded to know why so many railway toilets were out of order in the Algarve – has now set his sights on temporary outdoor nightclubs.
In a draft resolution presented to Parliament recently, the PSD deputy for the Algarve calls for a review of licensing regulations for summer discos, denouncing the sound pollution they generate.
His principal beef is that the outdoor discos which proliferate during July and August are able to operate without noise requirements stipulated by law for permanent establishments.
He claims this constitutes “unfair” competition, as temporary discos are free from having to invest in sound-proofing equipment, paying taxes, rents, licences, insurance and salaries all-year-round.
Local people should also be considered, adds battling Bota. “What we should be asking ourselves is, if the rights of residents and tourists who are suffering from an unwanted nocturnal noise aggression, every night during the week, from dusk until dawn, should be stood up for or not?” he demands.
Bota also posed the questioned: “Should the rights of those who prefer to have fun up until 8am in the morning upstage the rights of those who want to rest at reasonable hours?”
