Municipal Council΄s decision on extension of hours music is allowed
music
28 Dec 2022
/ 01:01
CORFU. The extension will apply following a request from each business individually until 31 December 2023 - Music only in indoor spaces.
The extension to the hours that music is allowed to be played at catering establishments in the Old Town, which was approved by the Central Corfu Municipal Council last Thursday, will apply under strict conditions. These conditions, which of course were in force since 2012, will not change, as emphasised in the new Regulation that was published in full today, as last Friday only the first page was published by mistake.
"Each business must submit a request to the Municipality, which will be evaluated and approved by the Local Town Council and then the Municipality will issue a permit", said the Deputy Mayor for Everyday Life Haris Yiotis. "Of course, the background of the catering establishment will also play a role, such as previous complaints of disturbance - if any".
However, the music permit and extension are valid for indoor spaces and volume of up to 80db.
Cafe or night club?
"Of course, we are talking about music in indoor spaces with the windows closed, as the law says. Speakers will not be placed outside, nor can cafes operate as night clubs, employing DJs for example. There can be disturbance at all hours - even at 19:00 and 20:00. In such cases the Police will apply whatever the law requires, including arrests.
According to the old Regulation, businesses have to meet a number of conditions and of course various factors have to be taken into account, such as what kind of business it is, the area it is located in or whether there are complaints. Thus, the decision will be made accordingly and the permit may or may not be granted."
Residents have rights too
"I believe that those who disturb should not get a permit, but only those who are legal. We need to isolate those who don't want to comply. In these cases we need strictness - from the Municipality, the Police and the citizens who should report it.
Personally, if I see such incidents, I will ask them to comply or I will call the Police myself. I want to be fair to the permanent residents, they have rights too.
The Municipality should have been stricter. Of course, if there were a Municipal Police it would have been different, now there is no mechanism".
Until 31 December 2023
The Deputy Mayor pointed out, however, that the extension that was voted will be in force until the end of 2023. "After the end of the year, the issue will have to be reviewed by the Town Council. Common sense says that if problems are found in the meantime, it may not be voted on again," added Mr. Yiotis.
The decision for extension
The decision taken by the Town Council stated the following:
The Town Council decided by majority vote:
The approval of the amendment of the Regulation of the former Corfu Municipality's Municipal Council as regards the extension of the hours allowed for the playing of music and musical instruments, only for the catering establishments, which operate within the Corfu Old Town, as follows:
a) From Sunday to Thursday, music can be played until 00:00 and b) on Friday, Saturday and public holidays music can be played until 00:30. These hours will be valid until 31 December 2023 and will be applied both in winter and summer.
Other than that, the Regulation of the former Corfu Municipality's Municipal Council is in force.
How the voting went
The following Municipal Councillors voted in favour:
Dimitris Metallinos, Giorgos Pantelios, Andreas Skoupouras, Ioannis Seremetis, Spyros Moraitis, Chrysoula Tombrou, Nikos Kalogeros, Theoharis Yiotis, Vassilis Melidis, Panayiota Tzanne, Maria Zervou, Evaggelos Rarakos, Dimitris Katehis, Vassilis Argyros, Alexandros Katehis, Spyros Poulis, Ioannis Trepeklis, Alexandros Dimou, Agathi Mazi, Konstantinos Agathos, Dimitris Theodotos, Nikos Vradis, Spyros Neratzis, Panayiotis Varouchas, Ioannis Varotsis, Maria Dri, Giorgos Karydis, Aggeliki Rigga, Andromahi Dagli and Vassilis Spatoulas.
The following Municipal Councillors voted against the extension:
Fani Tsimpouli, Chrysanthos Sarlis, Chrysostomos Boukas and Spyridon Riggas. The latter voted for his own proposal for an extension until 00:00 for all days of the year.
The following Municipal Councillors abstained:
Ioannis Borbotis, Mirsini Haralambous, Ioannis Pierris, Spyros Vlachos, Tilemachos Vassilakis and Aggeliki Kardakari.
"Each business must submit a request to the Municipality, which will be evaluated and approved by the Local Town Council and then the Municipality will issue a permit", said the Deputy Mayor for Everyday Life Haris Yiotis. "Of course, the background of the catering establishment will also play a role, such as previous complaints of disturbance - if any".
However, the music permit and extension are valid for indoor spaces and volume of up to 80db.
Cafe or night club?
"Of course, we are talking about music in indoor spaces with the windows closed, as the law says. Speakers will not be placed outside, nor can cafes operate as night clubs, employing DJs for example. There can be disturbance at all hours - even at 19:00 and 20:00. In such cases the Police will apply whatever the law requires, including arrests.
According to the old Regulation, businesses have to meet a number of conditions and of course various factors have to be taken into account, such as what kind of business it is, the area it is located in or whether there are complaints. Thus, the decision will be made accordingly and the permit may or may not be granted."
Residents have rights too
"I believe that those who disturb should not get a permit, but only those who are legal. We need to isolate those who don't want to comply. In these cases we need strictness - from the Municipality, the Police and the citizens who should report it.
Personally, if I see such incidents, I will ask them to comply or I will call the Police myself. I want to be fair to the permanent residents, they have rights too.
The Municipality should have been stricter. Of course, if there were a Municipal Police it would have been different, now there is no mechanism".
Until 31 December 2023
The Deputy Mayor pointed out, however, that the extension that was voted will be in force until the end of 2023. "After the end of the year, the issue will have to be reviewed by the Town Council. Common sense says that if problems are found in the meantime, it may not be voted on again," added Mr. Yiotis.
The decision for extension
The decision taken by the Town Council stated the following:
The Town Council decided by majority vote:
The approval of the amendment of the Regulation of the former Corfu Municipality's Municipal Council as regards the extension of the hours allowed for the playing of music and musical instruments, only for the catering establishments, which operate within the Corfu Old Town, as follows:
a) From Sunday to Thursday, music can be played until 00:00 and b) on Friday, Saturday and public holidays music can be played until 00:30. These hours will be valid until 31 December 2023 and will be applied both in winter and summer.
Other than that, the Regulation of the former Corfu Municipality's Municipal Council is in force.
How the voting went
The following Municipal Councillors voted in favour:
Dimitris Metallinos, Giorgos Pantelios, Andreas Skoupouras, Ioannis Seremetis, Spyros Moraitis, Chrysoula Tombrou, Nikos Kalogeros, Theoharis Yiotis, Vassilis Melidis, Panayiota Tzanne, Maria Zervou, Evaggelos Rarakos, Dimitris Katehis, Vassilis Argyros, Alexandros Katehis, Spyros Poulis, Ioannis Trepeklis, Alexandros Dimou, Agathi Mazi, Konstantinos Agathos, Dimitris Theodotos, Nikos Vradis, Spyros Neratzis, Panayiotis Varouchas, Ioannis Varotsis, Maria Dri, Giorgos Karydis, Aggeliki Rigga, Andromahi Dagli and Vassilis Spatoulas.
The following Municipal Councillors voted against the extension:
Fani Tsimpouli, Chrysanthos Sarlis, Chrysostomos Boukas and Spyridon Riggas. The latter voted for his own proposal for an extension until 00:00 for all days of the year.
The following Municipal Councillors abstained:
Ioannis Borbotis, Mirsini Haralambous, Ioannis Pierris, Spyros Vlachos, Tilemachos Vassilakis and Aggeliki Kardakari.
