The Spanish city is a popular short break destination as well as being popular with groups who want to enjoy the lively atmosphere, but a new ban could see their parties cut short
A Spanish city which is a major tourist destination for Brits, including stag and hen parties, is introducing a brand new rule in an effort to curb antisocial behaviour linked to drinking.
Barcelona, which sees over 500,000 Brits visiting each year, has banned pub crawls citywide at all hours of the day. Previously, pub crawls were only banned in the area of Ciutat Vella and L’Eixample, which had restrictions between 7PM and 7AM.
On the official website for Barcelona City Council, a statement explained how it defines a pub crawl: “Pub crawling is a business that takes customers on organised drinking tours to a series of establishments that offer discounted alcoholic drinks.
“It typically involves quickly consuming one or more low-quality drinks before heading to the next stop.”
The statement went on to say: “This activity has been identified as a risk factor that causes disturbances in neighbourhoods, puts extra strain on public spaces and potentially leads to criminal behaviour or road safety violations.”
It also confirmed: “The new decree introduces a permanent ban that applies 24 hours a day, year-round, rather than being only seasonal. ” It stated that the new ban will be in place for four years. The change came into force yesterday (October 29).
Organisers who ignore the ban and plan an event could find themselves hit with fines of up to €3,000. While participants in an organised pub crawl wouldn’t face charges, authorities could potentially give them fines for public drinking or other disturbances, which range from €100 to €3,000.
The move is the latest in a long-line of measures brought in by authorities to ease the impact of tourism on Barcelona, and other Spanish destinations could follow suit.
In May, it was announced that Spain was cracking down on holiday rentals, with authorities ordering Airbnb to remove 65,000 properties from their website. Reasons such as lack of licence numbers and unclear ownership records were cited for the mass removal. Many of the delisted properties were in popular areas such as Barcelona and Malaga.
Demonstrations against overtourism have also taken place over the last couple of years, with hundreds of protesters taking to the streets of Barcelona waving banners with slogans such as “tourists go home”.
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A trade union in the Balearic Islands has even proposed a €15 a day tourist tax during high season to work as a “deterrent” for tourists. The union’s general secretary said: “”This is not an increase aimed at raising revenue, but rather a deterrent, so that the Balearic Islands send a clear message to the world that there’s no room for more people here during the high season.”
Some resorts have also dealt a blow to Brits who were hoping to enjoy copious amounts of booze. Those visiting certain areas of Majorca and Ibiza may find themselves limited to six drinks a day, even if they’ve paid for all-inclusive.