As of October 7th, 2009; bars and clubs in the Buenos Aires Province (not city) must stop serving alcohol at 4:30am while the venue itself must close by 5:30am. Supermarkets and liquor stores have also been affected with a no buying from 9:00pm till 10:00am. The last time this was attempted by former governor Eduardo Duhalde was in 1996 which caused a series of protests and later reverted back. Many pubs and clubs are complaining today about the new changes but no news as of yet if this is being heard.
The law was decided by the Senate of the Province of Buenos Aires and enforced further by Governor Daniel Scoili.
Buenos Aires is known for the late night partying. It’s common to go out at 1:00am or later and party away till the early morning. It’s part of BA’s custom to eat late and party late. Now with this new law, clubs may have to open earlier and locals will need to get use to eating and partying earlier forever changing it’s custom.
© paulina_dlux
My personal opinion: It’s great that their cracking down on the alcohol abuse that does tend to go out of control in the streets. However; the closing of clubs at 5:30am should be reconsidered. Let’s say worse case there’s someone drinking heavily throughout the night and his or her’s last drink is at 4:15am. Now it’s 5:30am and is forced out of the club yet he or she’s still drunk but now wondering the streets at 5:30am.
If the club were still open, this person would still be safe inside the venue. Though most venues won’t stay open much longer after 4:30am, the larger events will and people will still purchase water, energy drink, Gatorade, etc.
Will this change the Buenos Aires nightlife?
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