The Bucharest Old Town could become less vibrant if Bucharest City Hall enforces its plan to cut the schedule of terraces there. The Bucharest City Hall proposed that most terraces in the Old Town should close at 22:00, so as not to disturb the people living in these areas. Terraces located between the streets of Lipscani, Bd. I.C. Bratianu, Splaiul Independentei and Calea Victoriei can have an extended program, until midnight, during the week. In some areas, the program can be extended by maximum one hour during the weekend. The schedule can be changed for special events, like the Days of Bucharest or the Europa League Final.

The project is currently under debate on the Bucharest City Hall website. Another new measure will be to allow the terraces to open only from March 15 to November 15 and only on the areas allotted by the City Hall. These areas will be granted without public tender, based on the order of submitted request, and only in front of the bars or restaurants, which have to be work headquarters (in Romanian 'punt de lucru').

Commentators already say the shorter schedule will bankrupt terraces in the Old Town and that Bucharest will lose some of the EUR 150 million it makes via the activities in the popular area. “We will get back to the dark and deserted Bucharest where nobody wants to get out of the house after 22:00 because they have nowhere to go. And where tourists will no longer come because the big attraction of the Old Town will be lost,” said Dan Matei Agathon, president of the Tourism and Services Employers Association.

Bucharest Old Town has developed in the last couple of years, with many of the buildings in the area being renovated and now hosting clubs, bars and restaurants, which are a major attraction for Bucharest. During weekends, and even during the week, it becomes one of the most crowded areas of the city.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: sxc.hu)