Ibiza council to be granted power to restrict open-air music venues

The Ibiza council, along with their neighboring Balearic Islands, will soon be granted the right to impose new restrictions on open-air venues by the regional PSOE party.

According to local publication ‘Diario De Ibiza’, once joint criteria have been decided upon, the municipalities will have the power to “regulate, determine or prohibit, in a reasonable manner, tourist activities" related to entertainment. The ruling applies to any where hosting musical events, including clubs, café conciertos, beach clubs and ballrooms.

"It was very clear that the tourism law needed to be modified," said Vicent Torres, director of tourism for Ibiza council. "Such a previously liberal law offered the opportunity for activities that are incompatible with the day-to-day life of an island that wants a sustainable kind of tourism." He added that every day "the shouts of the people get louder against a situation that distorts relaxing tourist zones." 

Additionally, the individual Balearic councils will have the right to impose greater restrictions on new establishments than imposed by the broader board.

These new restrictions are not to be retroactive. Thus, current establishments should be exempt from any new restrictions.

This is certainly not the first time local authorities have sought to control dance music through regulations. Berlin authorities started restricting open-air parties in September of 2016, and elrow had to cancel their 2017 Friends & Family weekend due to local council pressure.