Residents and holidaymakers in Vilamoura and Praia da Rocha have had enough, holidays are ruined, sleep is lacking and nerves are frayed as the all night music venues continue to flout noise regulations under the nose of police and councils.
Vilamoura made efforts this year to be better organised with transport, security and events blending seamlessly into a summer of trouble-free bliss but the noise from outside music venues has put paid to any thoughts of a relaxing night's sleep for those keeping to normal family hours.
It’s the same in Praia da Rocha where the official noise limit is exceeded in many beach venues with a continuous background noise in the early hours recorded at one venue, yet the GNR does nothing as they say they ‘do not have the means to act.’
In Vilamoura there are 11 outdoor music bars that close at around 06:00 after nights of noisy revelry - the GNR response has been to ‘send the council some recommendations.’
The 'Summer Experience' at Praia da Rocha has been so loud at a recorded 156 Decibels (the limit is an already ear-numbing 114 Dbs) that politicians now are involved with the Left Bloc’s João Vasconcelos questioning the Ministry of the Environment after petitions, letters and complaints sent to Portimão council have been studiously ignored as have been complaints to the Maritime Police, PSP and GNR.
According to the Left Bloc question, locals "are not against the noise and fun animation on the beach," but the decibel level causes "great discomfort during the night and into the early hours" with some holidaymakers abandoning their hotel rooms, packing up and leaving.
This beach noise situation has been an annual problem every summer since 2007, always during the high season at events run by different promoters with only one ever being busted for excessive noise back in 2014.
