business

Last call opposed

Iván Uribe/LA PRENSA

Calle Uruguay1031669

Business owners in the trendy Calle Uruguay area expressed concern about a proposal to force their establishments to close at 2 a.m.

Bella Vista representative Virgilio Crespo proposed the 2 a.m. last call as a way to address the problems that have plagued the neighborhood as the popularity of its bars and restaurants has grown.

Business owners met yesterday at Sahara restaurant and, afterward, issued a statement that read, in part: "Closing discos and bars at 2 a.m. does not solve the problems of Calle Uruguay."

The business owners met with representatives of the police department to discuss the problems in the area, which include overcrowded streets, prostitution, drug trafficking and loud music playing until the wee hours of the morning.

Previously, residents had presented Ministerio Público and Ministro de Gobierno y Justicia officials with a list of complaints about the conditions in the neighborhood. In response, Crespo made his statement that a closing time for the area's businesses would solve some of those problems.

Such a measure, however, would almost certainly sound a death knell for the area's most popular bars, as 2 a.m. is the time when most local establishments are busiest, and many don't even open until 11 p.m.