Tallinn desires shorter pub nights

Photo: Priit Simson

Today, Tallinn city government discusses law amendment motion allowing local government to enforce territorial restrictions and opening hours on catering establishments – like closing pubs by 3 am, latest.

The main reason for draft legislation, initiated by Tallinn City Centre Administration, is the unrestrained night-life in Old Town.

«Tallinn is about to be established as a British bachelors’ paradise, a place for partying and revelry – an image not desirable for a city listed as an UNESCO world heritage site. In the Old Town, a part of Tallinn, there’s a remarkable amount of recreational establishments, the capital’s night life mainly concentrated there. Majority of those establishments, serving both food and alcohol, are open till early hours of dawn – or around the clock. The loose image brings people over for week-end nights, with both aggravated and lighter breaches of public order committed,» said Mihhail Korb, elder of Tallinn City Centre.

«Inhabitants of Old Town are worn out by the constant carousing. Non profit organisation Old Town Society, uniting dwellers thereof, claims the environment has become unbearable. According to the society, it would be acceptable, perhaps, to have the catering establishments open till 2 am. Which would be a win-win situation, letting the locals have their night’s rest, while maintaining the tourism-attraction of the area,» said Mr Korb.

«It can, of course, be claimed that the young people gathering at the recreational establishments do not, by merely hanging out, breach public order. However, the overall noise created clearly disturbs local dwellers and tourists at night. Also: the constitution provides for inviolability of home, European Convention of Human Rights also containing clauses of respect for home. Freedom of enterprise is, indeed, also a constitutional right, but it is allowed to be restricted for principles of reasonableness – for instance, to protect public interests or rights and freedoms of other persons,» he added.

«Let’s consider: as of January this year, 235 caterers are registered in Old Town, 80 of which are open after 2 am. The 96 metre Suur-Karja Street alone, bordering on Barons Hotel and Karjavärava Square, has 12 such establishments – one for every eight metres! At week-ends, the Barons Hotel staff is, among other duties, tasked with moving tourists – desiring to get some sleep – from the Suur-Karja side of the hotel to the Väike-Karja side rooms, which are a bit less noisy,» said Mr Korb.

According to Mr Korb, pursuant to current Commercial Activity Act, restrictions can be applied, such as shortening the careering establishments’ open hours – but only case by case, also requiring convincing evidence like noise inspections by health protection lab, police reports etc. However, collecting the evidence takes minimum six months, and the noise level reports verifying excessive noise levels passing through outer walls are difficult to link to definite establishments, as many of those may be housed in the same building.

According to amendment proposed by city council, local governments would be legally authorised to restrict business by concrete areas, such as the entire Old Town, or blocks or streets. That would guarantee equal treatment of establishments, and new ones might plan possible business risk into their activities. However, establishments already active in the area ought to be provided, by local government, a transitional period to rearrange their business.