Consultation Committee meeting to discuss what times music should be allowed held
Consultation Committee
28 Jul 2022
/ 19:58
CORFU. Quality of Life Committee will meet on Friday morning to discuss extension to time allowed for music - Municipal Council will meet on 3 August.
The next step to decide whether there will be an extension to time allowed for music or not is the Quality of Life Committee meeting, which will be held on Friday 29 July at 11:00.
The President of the Quality of Life Committee Theoharis Yiotis said that the meeting will be held at the conference hall in the Mon Repos estate and will be open to public.
The discussion on this issue was completed on Wednesday evening at the conference hall in the Mon Repos estate chaired by Dimitris Metallinos.
The meeting was scheduled for Tuesday 26 July but it was called off because not everyone was present (36 out of 69 members were required to be present). Thus, the meeting was finally held yesterday with those who were present, i.e 14 members.
The meeting was important
Although the issue of the times that music should be allowed has been discussed for two months, yesterday's discussion was of some significance. This is because the views expressed referred to several problems that have existed for many years. It could be a great opportunity to finally find a solution so that the old town can be both a place of residence and a tourist product.
The question is whether there will be the political will to find an actual solution to the problems.
Who was present
Present at the meeting were, of course, the catering establishments and the permanent residents of the Old Town, as well as the Corfu Federation of Professionals, Manufacturers & Traders (OEBEK) President Konstantinos Kitsakis, the Corfu Trade Association President Yiannis Alegris, the Corfu Accountants Association President Nikos Mamalos, the Corfu Technical Chamber representative Gerasimos Mourmouris, the Corfu Hoteliers Association President Babis Voulgaris, the Association of Corfu Travel Agents President Spyros Halikiopoulos and the Taxi Association representatives Mr. Loukas and Mr. Kritikos. Konstantinos Grigoriadis and Greek Women's Lyceum also participated as members of the Consultation Committee.
The councillor Spyros Moraitis and the Deputy Mayor for Tourism Panayiotis Varouchas expressed their opinions, while the councillor and leader of the 'Kerkyra Psila' Spyros Neratzis and the Municipality's General Secretary George Poulis were also present.
The proposals
The Restaurant & Catering Union General Secretary Nikos Latsas expressed the catering establishment owners' proposal for an extension until 00:30 on weekdays and 01:00 on Saturdays, while the Old Town Permanent Residents' Association and the San Giacomo Old Town Association expressed their will for the times that music can be played to remain until 23:00.
The business owners once again argued that because a few of their colleagues are playing music outside the times allowed and causing noise pollution, the rest of them are 'paying the price'. In fact, Mr. Katehis said that these businesses should be closed down on the initiative of all bodies and not only through police checks.
The businessowners claimed that they have seen a significant drop in turnover due to this measure and as a result they are now facing significant financial problems after two years that tourism had been not good due to the pandemic. This statement provoked a reaction from the Permanent Residents' Association representative Mr. Petrou. The residents argue that they have not seen a decrease in traffic in the town, even though the music stops at 23:00. Mr. Petrou even asked the businessowners to support their argument by showing their turnover.
On the other hand, the Old Town Permanent Residents' Association and the San Giacomo Old Town Association pointed out that the law has finally been implemented after 10 years, during which the quality of life of the residents had been significantly deteriorated, making some of them to leave Old Town.
However, as Mr. Mourmouris said, music is not the only problem in the Old Town, as there are also many other issues such as the determination of land use, the business license checks etc.
Only inside & up to 80dB
The proposal for an extension but with strict adherence to the 80dB limit only inside the business - without speakers outside - was supported by all business bodies and by the Kanoni Association. Konstantinos Grigoriadis said that a small extension could be granted, but with stiff fines in case of noise pollution.
Following tomorrow’s Quality of Life Committee, the Municipal Council meeting will follow on Wednesday 3 August.
The President of the Quality of Life Committee Theoharis Yiotis said that the meeting will be held at the conference hall in the Mon Repos estate and will be open to public.
The discussion on this issue was completed on Wednesday evening at the conference hall in the Mon Repos estate chaired by Dimitris Metallinos.
The meeting was scheduled for Tuesday 26 July but it was called off because not everyone was present (36 out of 69 members were required to be present). Thus, the meeting was finally held yesterday with those who were present, i.e 14 members.
The meeting was important
Although the issue of the times that music should be allowed has been discussed for two months, yesterday's discussion was of some significance. This is because the views expressed referred to several problems that have existed for many years. It could be a great opportunity to finally find a solution so that the old town can be both a place of residence and a tourist product.
The question is whether there will be the political will to find an actual solution to the problems.
Who was present
Present at the meeting were, of course, the catering establishments and the permanent residents of the Old Town, as well as the Corfu Federation of Professionals, Manufacturers & Traders (OEBEK) President Konstantinos Kitsakis, the Corfu Trade Association President Yiannis Alegris, the Corfu Accountants Association President Nikos Mamalos, the Corfu Technical Chamber representative Gerasimos Mourmouris, the Corfu Hoteliers Association President Babis Voulgaris, the Association of Corfu Travel Agents President Spyros Halikiopoulos and the Taxi Association representatives Mr. Loukas and Mr. Kritikos. Konstantinos Grigoriadis and Greek Women's Lyceum also participated as members of the Consultation Committee.
The councillor Spyros Moraitis and the Deputy Mayor for Tourism Panayiotis Varouchas expressed their opinions, while the councillor and leader of the 'Kerkyra Psila' Spyros Neratzis and the Municipality's General Secretary George Poulis were also present.
The proposals
The Restaurant & Catering Union General Secretary Nikos Latsas expressed the catering establishment owners' proposal for an extension until 00:30 on weekdays and 01:00 on Saturdays, while the Old Town Permanent Residents' Association and the San Giacomo Old Town Association expressed their will for the times that music can be played to remain until 23:00.
The business owners once again argued that because a few of their colleagues are playing music outside the times allowed and causing noise pollution, the rest of them are 'paying the price'. In fact, Mr. Katehis said that these businesses should be closed down on the initiative of all bodies and not only through police checks.
The businessowners claimed that they have seen a significant drop in turnover due to this measure and as a result they are now facing significant financial problems after two years that tourism had been not good due to the pandemic. This statement provoked a reaction from the Permanent Residents' Association representative Mr. Petrou. The residents argue that they have not seen a decrease in traffic in the town, even though the music stops at 23:00. Mr. Petrou even asked the businessowners to support their argument by showing their turnover.
On the other hand, the Old Town Permanent Residents' Association and the San Giacomo Old Town Association pointed out that the law has finally been implemented after 10 years, during which the quality of life of the residents had been significantly deteriorated, making some of them to leave Old Town.
However, as Mr. Mourmouris said, music is not the only problem in the Old Town, as there are also many other issues such as the determination of land use, the business license checks etc.
Only inside & up to 80dB
The proposal for an extension but with strict adherence to the 80dB limit only inside the business - without speakers outside - was supported by all business bodies and by the Kanoni Association. Konstantinos Grigoriadis said that a small extension could be granted, but with stiff fines in case of noise pollution.
Following tomorrow’s Quality of Life Committee, the Municipal Council meeting will follow on Wednesday 3 August.
