‘Black-boxes’ for Alicante’s noise bars and discos

FOLLOWING a spate noise complaints by local residents and hoteliers bars and discos in Alicante City will be forced to install sound level recorders.

The devices will be similar to the ‘black-box’ in planes and will record noise levels throughout the night, according to local Spanish daily Informacion.

In this way local police officers will have access to more complete information when residents lodge complaints of excessive noise levels in these establishments, according to Councillor Marta Garcia-Romeu.

The installation cost of these devices will be paid for by the proprietors, although which establishments will have to install them and when is yet to be determined. Most likely all with noise complaints filed against them.

This initiative has already been applied in establishments in the central area of Torrevieja, according to Garcia-Romeu.

Meanwhile, some say the problem of noise levels at night outside bars and discos has been become worse since smoking laws banning smoking inside premises were introduced.