Prague will ban late-night pub crawls organized by journey companies in a bid to dissuade rowdy vacationers from visiting and appeal to extra “refined” guests as a substitute.
Authorities within the Czech capital say organized pub crawls, typically aimed toward overseas stag and hen events, shall be banned between 10pm and 6am native time (9pm-5am BST).
Deputy Mayor Jiri Pospisil mentioned he needs town to turn out to be a spot the place “sophistication and respect for shared public area is a precedence.”
Prague isn’t alone in its try and discourage rowdy vacationers, lots of whom come from the UK. Last 12 months, Amsterdam launched a marketing campaign to discourage younger Britons from touring to the Dutch capital to make use of medication and drink closely.
The Prague City Council mentioned councilors had accepted an modification limiting “organised journey of vacationers from one pub to a different, disturbing the peace at evening particularly within the centre”.
The change was made for noise, security and cleanliness causes. Crowds of drunken vacationers are additionally taking a toll on town’s popularity, councilors mentioned.
Officials within the central Prague One district, a lot of which is a UNESCO world heritage web site and the place many bars are situated, welcomed the transfer.
Prague Mayor Terezie Radomerska mentioned it was a “constructive change” that might “scale back the destructive results brought on by extreme noise within the streets”.
The police shall be accountable for implementing the ban.
Councilors mentioned the disorderly conduct had led to “over-deployment” of cleansing and policing providers, placing a pressure on town’s sources.
Prague resident Stepan Kuchta instructed the Times newspaper that his well being had been “ruined by persistent noise”.
But the Prague Pub Crawl, which organizes drunken excursions, criticized town’s determination as “merely a populist transfer to cover town administration’s failure to handle actual issues, equivalent to the dearth of municipal cops to implement the peace of the evening”.
The metropolis of 1.3 million inhabitants welcomed round 7.4 million vacationers final 12 months, in line with the Czech Statistical Office.
Historically, many vacationers have been attracted by the Czech capital’s historic sights and low cost beers, which in some eating places and pubs will be cheaper than bottled water.
Vaclav Starek of the Czech Hotel and Restaurant Association welcomed town council’s determination. Starek instructed the AFP information company he does not assume enterprise shall be affected.
“I do not assume it will damage our gross sales. Nobody shall be banned from going to a pub, however these organized late-night pub crawls… are nothing we want.”
