Drinking problem in Spain

[Hombre]

Originally Posted by Hombre

Since when was drinking in Spain a problem ?

Hey !!!!!!!!!!!...I'm a 100 messages old !!!!....happy birthday to me...happy birthday to me...happy bir......oh forget it...drinking in Spain eh...it really can be a problem

[Tallulah]

Congrats...don't you get another gold star for that?!?

[Suenneil]

Hi Jo

Here is just one article about the Botellon ..... they are in the news regularly on Spanish TV ... interestingly though

"Under national law, the Council is obliged to provide a space for the youngsters to drink in public"

PS Happy PostDay Mr H! Taking Mrs H out to celebrate this evening ?? Happy Hour sounds a good bet!

Sue x

September 17th, 2009

The Local Police are carrying out a much more comprehensive monitoring of the weekly ‘botellón’ held each weekend in the Parque Verano Azul due to complaints received from local residents.

The police are trying to ensure that the drinking stops by 01:30, the time limit set by the Council when it authorised this location for the botellón.

The Council acknowledges that allowing drinking in the local public park carries with it numerous problems, from disturbance to local residents to damage to municipal furniture, but also acknowledges that the situation is complex.

Under national law, the Council is obliged to provide a space for the youngsters to drink in public, and they have done so. What the Council wants, however, is for this to be compatible with the rest of the community, namely local residents, businesses and local bars.

Local bars complain that they lose custom as a result of the street drinking, where people buy their own booze from the supermarkets rather than patronising the bars. The Councilor for Security, Jonathan Méndez, suggested that bars should also make an effort as one of the main complaints of the youngsters, and the reason for the popularity of the botellón, is that the price of drinks in many bars is too high.

The Council is keen to redress the situation and even has the option to ban the botellón, although this would seem unlikely. Another possibility is a relocation of the botellón, especially in view of upcoming plans to carry aout comprehensive building and renovation work in the Parque Verano Azul.

It always seems a shame, in any situation, when someone, be it private individual or public authority, provides a requested service, and often despite not agreeing with the principle, only to see it abused. Usually by a minority.

Perhaps a (leading) member of the Council should address an assembled ‘botellón’ to try and make some sort of agreement regarding a bit of self-discipline in exchange for continued support.

[Hombre]

Originally Posted by Tallulah

Congrats...don't you get another gold star for that?!?

Thanks Tally..(am I allowed to call you that?)..I think it's already dropped in..look at me ! are'nt I posh ?

[jojo]

I think its actually a good idea to keep em all "penned in" to get bladdered! At least you know where to look if you have an errant teenager. Much easier than trawling the streets all night!!! (I'm loath to admit that I've had my fair share of this when my eldest went thru a "difficult" phase)

Jo xxx

[Suenneil]

Originally Posted by jojo

I think its actually a good idea to keep em all "penned in" to get bladdered! At least you know where to look if you have an errant teenager. Much easier than trawling the streets all night!!! (I'm loath to admit that I've had my fair share of this when my eldest went thru a "difficult" phase)

Jo xxx

Me too! my boy was a nightmare on 2 bloody drunken legs in his teens! lol .... but thinking about I remember both my brothers going through a similar phase! and my sisters too! I was goodie two shoes .... I didnt drink that much as I didnt like the taste! lol

Sue x

[Hombre]

[QUOTE=Suenneil;197646]Hi Jo



PS Happy PostDay Mr H! Taking Mrs H out to celebrate this evening ?? Happy Hour sounds a good bet!

Sue x



Banned up here unfortunately...the new exchange rate has really boosted her savings account she says...she now has €23.72.......3 jobs really does pay you know. I keep telling her how lucky she is.

[Pesky Wesky]

Originally Posted by Tallulah

At the end of the day, bars and clubs and discos are supposed to be licenced premises and not selling alcohol to underage drinkers....therefore yes, the authorities are going after those over which they feel they have the most control - and those which are easily fined/prosecuted if they flout the law. Or maybe, it's not minors who are being served in these locals who are causing the problem, but the "older" clientele!! Stumbling out after a happy hour and karaoke extravaganza?!?

With the botellon scenario, I did see a recent report where they were trying to contain it within a certain specified area, so that it reduced the level of nuisance to others, and the local police would patrol that area. Almost like a legalised rave.

Well, as for the Nordic pattern, kids is kids is kids....we've all been there - a bit of a blow out over the weekend. I remember coming out here years ago though, and alcohol wasn't really "in" for the younger ones - they were more into just going out to a few bars, having non-alcoholic drinks and just hanging around chatting and having a laugh...so I suppose patterns are changing.

xx

The "botellón scene is well extended all over Spain. I remember there being big problems in Madrid and in Sevilla. There were riots in Pozuelo near Madrid in the fiestas this year and it was blamed on an area the ayuntamiento had put aside for botellón. The main surprise element however was that Pozuelo is yuppilandia. People were blown away by the idea that middle and high class kids could also get drunk and out of control!!

[Suenneil]

Originally Posted by Pesky Wesky

The "botellón scene is well extended all over Spain. I remember there being big problems in Madrid and in Sevilla. There were riots in Pozuelo near Madrid in the fiestas this year and it was blamed on an area the ayuntamiento had put aside for botellón. The main surprise element however was that Pozuelo is yuppilandia. People were blown away by the idea that middle and high class kids could also get drunk and out of control!!

But banning Happy Hour isnt going to sort this lot out Im just not sure where this idea comes from ..... Sue x

[Pesky Wesky]

Originally Posted by Suenneil

But banning Happy Hour isnt going to sort this lot out Im just not sure where this idea comes from ..... Sue x

Ah no, that's true Sue.
However, I did hear some young people being interviewed. Look at the following (more or less quote)
We'll have to go drink in the street now that we can't take advantage of the happy hour. We're only students and we haven't got any money.
My heart bleeds...