Bars in Hoi An ancient city face tougher rules

Quang Nam (VNA) - Bars in Hoi An ancient city in the central province of Quang Nam must reduce the volume of music from 10pm and stop serving before midnight every day, said Nguyen Van Son, deputy chairman of the municipal People’s Committee.

Vehicles and middlemen behind bars, tourism, entertainment and restaurant services will also be closely monitored by police and social order forces to ensure safety for visitors, he said on February 26.

According to Son, with the policy of creating favourable conditions for businesses and households to increase their incomes and create jobs, the city previously allowed restaurants to organise additional services of drinking until midnight every day, aiming to meet the visitors’ needs for nightlife entertainment.

However, recently, many bars and restaurants had opened overtime, created loud noises, encroached on the curbs and organised local forces and motorbike and taxi drivers to pull customers into their facilities. These activities were causing security and social order problems, affecting the image and brand of the ancient city’s tourism.

Therefore, from February, the city People’s Committee required owners of restaurants to restructure their business operations and obey the law.

Specifically, bars and restaurants must close by midnight and owners must inform customers of the closing time 15 minutes before that. They must not distribute leaflets on the street.

After 10 pm every day, restaurants and bars must use sound equipment under 50 decibel (dB).  Encroaching on the sidewalk is banned. The Hoi An City People’s Committee also prohibits all forms of buying and selling stimulants such as laughing gas and methamphetamine for tourists. The People’s Committee also urged restaurants to take measures to ensure the safety of intoxicated guests.

Restaurant and bar owners absolutely must not use xe om or taxi drivers as middlemen to pull tourists to their shops, according to the announcement of trading operations in Hoi An.

The People’s Committee of Hoi An city will strictly handle the violators, and at the same time arrange the police force to supervise the operation of non-engine vehicles at night and set up guard stations at crowded areas.

Son said that the city is determined to restore order and resolutely deal with all activities that negatively affect the images of the tourism industry.-VNA