A new nightlife charter was signed on Friday July 8 by the city of Lille and professionals in the nightlife sector, almost 20 years after the first version, which dated back to 2003. This document is the result of the work of the Lille night council, which since last November has brought together managers of establishments, local residents and night owls. Together, they therefore drafted several recommendations in order to reconciling the festive desires of some, the economic activity of others, and the tranquility of the inhabitants.
Through this charter, divided into 4 thematic chapters, bar owners undertake, for example, to prohibit the entry of their establishments to any drunk personto limit the exit of smokers, to respect authorized sound volumes for music, to ban open bars, to clean the surroundings of their businesses after closing or to fight against any form of discrimination or sexual assault.
“With this charter, we want there to be a nightlife in Lille, that operators can get by economically and we also want the tranquility of local residents,” assures the mayor of Lille Martine Aubry.
nothing coercive
However, this document is not coercive, it is just a guide with recommendations. “It is a reminder of good living practices between a city and its merchants, and its inhabitants. nothing really new, recognizes Olivier Delannoye, president of the national group of independents (GNI) of the North, signatory of the charter. But new players are appearing in our profession, and they must be reminded of the rules to be respected.”
Nevertheless, some residents of festive neighborhoods are less convinced on the usefulness of such a charter. “It does not commit to anything, even if it can provide the basis for a discussion, believes a member of the collective of residents of the Masséna-Solférino sector. If it allows us to be more peaceful, and not to find vomit or urine when we open the door in the morning, I completely agree. But we will have to see how we use it.”
For it to really work, professionals also call night owls to responsibility. “They are the first to complain that the nightlife is sometimes poor, but they are also the first to do a bit of nonsense, says Camille Muller, president of the culture collective Bars-Bars, in the Hauts de France. We would like customers to realize that their actions have consequences on our premises.”
Because with or without the charter, the sanctions exist. In the first half of 2022, 321 reports were drawn up in Lille for noise pollution and 6 administrative closures were pronounced in the city by the North prefecture.