A closed bar (illustration) -

AFP

  • Since September 26, bars in Lille must close their doors at 10 p.m.

  • An early closure which is not without consequences on the noise at night.

  • While some bars respect the ban, others are now cooking so they can stay open later.

A ban that causes many problems.

Since September 26 and the passage of the Lille metropolis into a reinforced Covid alert zone, bars must close their doors at 10 p.m.

Before this measure, the North Prefecture was already seeing an increase in police interventions for nighttime noise in apartments.

But with the bars closing early, the situation is not getting better.

Chloé Corne knows something about it since she lives on the Grand'Place in Lille.

“Last Sunday, my neighbors' evening lasted until four in the morning: I've called the police several times, but the teams don't even come.

And again, I am not talking about the endless chattering on the sidewalk in these times of student hazing.

"

The authorities also noted more damage to street furniture and more crowds in the streets.

When contacted, neither the town hall nor the prefecture responded to our requests for more precise statistics.

Bars that turn into restaurants

Unlike bars, restaurants can close at 12:30 a.m. But as the decree does not specify the criterion for the difference between establishments which often offer both food and drink, certain drinking establishments will impose from 10 p.m. h a hot meal to continue their service.

"We had a la carte tapas, we will now offer individual formulas served at the table and on the plate since we have a kitchen and a cook", justifies a bar manager who wishes to remain anonymous.

In your establishment, you will therefore have to eat (or have eaten) to order a drink after 9:30 p.m. "Be careful, you must offer a hot dish, snacking (croque-monsieur, board to share ...) will be considered as a bar activity" , warns the union Union of trades and hospitality industries (UMIH).

Alcohol to take away

In Old Lille, La Capsule has come up with an original idea: the bar offers to rent a mini-keg filled with 1.9 liters of beer, which allows a draft at home.

"The restrictions have accelerated this project that we had a take-out bar," admits Anthony D'Orazio, manager of La Capsule in Old Lille.

Glasses and coasters are provided… right down to the bar's playlist.

What to hold a little in the event of total closure of bars, as in Paris and Marseille, if the metropolis goes into maximum alert zone in the coming days.

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  • Covid 19

  • Coronavirus

  • Lille

  • Closing

  • Restaurant

  • Night noise