Bars and clubs will no longer be permitted in or around residential buildings in Armenia

Photo: Lucy Sargsyan, JAMnews

Yerevan residents are discussing a new proposal made by the government to remove night clubs, discos, karaokes and other noisy entertainment venues from residential areas.

Residents of apartment buildings have been complaining about loud music and noise. They are demanding that relevant regulations be adopted as soon as possible, and that entertainment venues cease to operate in the basements and ground floors of their homes. A packet of amendments to the Law on Trade and Services has already been developed on behalf of the Armenian Prime Minister. This packet would regulate the operation of entertainment venues near residential buildings.

“After 11 and 12 o’clock at night these places play loud music and make noise; it’s impossible to sleep. Don’t think that because I’m against the noise that I want people to lose their jobs just so these venues get closed down. But if it’s bothering people, a solution needs to be found,” said a Yerevan resident whose apartment is two floors away from an entertainment venue.

Staff members of such venues note that, after midnight, they monitor the music volume, knowing that there are people living in the apartments nearby.

“This is a business but we don’t want to bother people and are doing everything that’s in our power. If there are fights or arguments outside our property, we don’t always have anything to do with it,” an employee of one of the venues said.

In order to satisfy the residents and to prevent harming the businesses of entrepreneurs, the government is offering to provide alternative properties to entertainment venues located in apartment buildings. After prohibiting the operation of such venues near residential buildings, entrepreneurs will be given a year to resolve any problems.

“The owners of any such establishment, along with the head of the neighborhood community and the Urban Development Committee may choose another location for an establishment, otherwise the owners may change its line of business, or close. We also envisioned with this law that moving these establishments, or any other decision, isn’t done at the expense of residents’ right to rest. The minimum distance of these establishments from apartment buildings will be established later on through subordinate acts decided by the Yerevan Council of Elders and so on,” Aram Vardevanian, Senior Assistant to the Prime Minister said.

He said that there are 22 entertainment venues in Yerevan that are located in or near apartment buildings.

Prime Minister Karen Karpetyan gave the order that the package of amendments to the law be completed as soon as possible and submitted to the government.