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Expats in Prague may get relief from rowdy pub noise
| Published: | 7 Sep at 6 PM |
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Tagged: Money
Prague’s favourite party district now has an official noise meter.
Prague’s Old Town Number 1 district is renowned for its pubs, bars, restaurants and nightclubs and music venues, and is said to be on a par with New Orleans’ Bourbon Street and Dublin’s Grafton Street for its riotous late-night crowds and loud music. Residents in the area have long been complaining almost daily about the district’s effects on their health due to lack of sleep, but a new addition to the area could possibly offer some relief from the raucous noise.
On the corner of Masna and Dlouha streets, the local authority’s latest offering lets residents and visitor at least find out how many decibels are disturbing their slumbers. The district is understandably popular with expats living and working in Prague as well as with a huge number of visitors, with pub crawls a favourite evening occupation for both groups. The meter measures noise levels in decibels and displays them in fluorescent green for all to see and complain about. Whilst its existence won’t turn down the devastating volume, it’ll at least give protestors a record they can use to prove the nightly party-central racket is unacceptable to residents who need their shuteye.
The obvious answer to the noise problem is legislation as regards opening hours, but according to a Prague safety councillor from City Hall this could become legally problematic. What he didn’t say was that restricting opening hours for even the worst offenders and ignoring the rest would hit hard on the revenues of the profitable establishments, a statement which could have simply been given as ‘it’s all about the money’. The district and its residents aren’t alone in their plight, as several other areas in the city are notorious noise zones, one of which also has an acoustic sensor.
Prague’s Old Town Number 1 district is renowned for its pubs, bars, restaurants and nightclubs and music venues, and is said to be on a par with New Orleans’ Bourbon Street and Dublin’s Grafton Street for its riotous late-night crowds and loud music. Residents in the area have long been complaining almost daily about the district’s effects on their health due to lack of sleep, but a new addition to the area could possibly offer some relief from the raucous noise.
On the corner of Masna and Dlouha streets, the local authority’s latest offering lets residents and visitor at least find out how many decibels are disturbing their slumbers. The district is understandably popular with expats living and working in Prague as well as with a huge number of visitors, with pub crawls a favourite evening occupation for both groups. The meter measures noise levels in decibels and displays them in fluorescent green for all to see and complain about. Whilst its existence won’t turn down the devastating volume, it’ll at least give protestors a record they can use to prove the nightly party-central racket is unacceptable to residents who need their shuteye.
The obvious answer to the noise problem is legislation as regards opening hours, but according to a Prague safety councillor from City Hall this could become legally problematic. What he didn’t say was that restricting opening hours for even the worst offenders and ignoring the rest would hit hard on the revenues of the profitable establishments, a statement which could have simply been given as ‘it’s all about the money’. The district and its residents aren’t alone in their plight, as several other areas in the city are notorious noise zones, one of which also has an acoustic sensor.
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