Plaza Tutti Frutti in Nerja, with a dozen bars and two night clubs, has been the focal point of nightlife for many years, becoming quite crowded during the summer months.
It also attracts people from neighbouring towns, such as Almuñecar in Granada province. As a result, it also attracts a few complaints regarding noise levels.
There have been a number of crackdowns on ‘acoustic pollution’ during the past few years to try and reduce the noise levels and, therefore, the number of complaints and, periodically, bars have been temporarily closed down until they make adjustments to their premises to prevent excessive noise.
The complaints continue and the Council is wary of the situation in Vélez-Málaga where the Council had the dubious honour of being the first municipality ordered to pay compensation (€2.8 million) to 18 local residents who had suffered acoustic pollution for a period of 15 years because the Council had not taken measures to address the situation.
Not that Vélez-Málaga has actually paid the compensation yet, several years after the Court decision, but that is another matter altogether.
Nerja Council is to begin a new series of noise measurements in the square. These are being carried out in conjunction with the provincial Department of Environment and the object is to assess whether or not there is acoustic pollution in the area, particularly on the terraces of the bars.
The Council is also checking with the regional authorities as to whether Plaza Tutti Frutti could be classified as an ‘acoustically saturated space’ which would mean that no new bars or clubs could be opened in the area.
With such a concentration of bars and clubs in a relatively small area in a tourist resort there is bound to be noise. It would be interesting to know just how many complaints have been received and whether those complainants took up residence in the area before or after Plaza Tutti Frutti became the centre of nightlife.