By Euronews with Agência Lusa
Published on
As of this Wednesday, the sale of alcohol for consumption on the public highway between 9pm and 8am throughout the city of Porto will be banned.
The measure is part of the new regulations for nightlife in the city.
This is the third amendment to the regulations, which came into force on 1 March 2023, and was published today in the Diário da República.
Though these restrictions are not city-wide, they apply to the entirety of Porto’s ‘Containment Zone,’ which encompasses the downtown area, including popular nightlife hubs like Rua da Galeria de Paris. The amendment also includes an extension of this zone to cover practically the entire city centre.
Terraces will have limited hours, but with flexibility in some areas of the centre of Porto. The sale of alcoholic drinks after 9pm will only be authorised in cafés, bars, restaurants and nightclubs.
Sales at supermarkets, convenience stores, wine cellars, and souvenir shops will be prohibited.
What is a ‘botellon’ and why are they a problem for Porto?
Filipa Correia Pinto, councillor for Economic Activities, explained to the Lusa news agency that the changes are aimed at combating ‘botellons’, which involve people congregating in public areas to socialise while drinking alcohol.
“What justifies this is our conviction that this ‘botellon’ phenomenon in various parts of the city is damaging and having an impact on urban safety,” she explained.
Inspections will be stricter and the sanctions heavier, including the closure of establishments that don’t comply with the new rules.
The president of Porto’s Movida Association of Bars and Discotheques, Ricardo Tavares, admits that the new rules may help to control the problem, but they won’t solve it.
“All the measures are welcome, but they won’t solve it. The botellon issue is an important one, because it often involves drinks that people bring from home or buy in supermarkets during the day,” he told Lusa.
The changes, which have been up for public consultation, come into force on Wednesday after the date was pushed back from 23 June, due to the Saint John’s holiday.
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