The emergency phone number 112 received 12,518 calls from residents of Barcelona in 2025 regarding disturbances from bars and restaurants. The Xarxa Veïnal contra el Soroll is denouncing the repeated non-compliance with municipal regulations and is calling for a reduction in terrace licenses before renewing those for 2027.
The 112 service handled 12,518 calls last year from residents in Barcelona related to disturbances caused by bars and restaurants. Of this total, 11,762 were related to noise from establishments, 414 to unauthorized occupation of public space, including unlicensed terraces, and 342 to violations of closing hours, according to data from the emergency service itself, which is under the Generalitat.
The Xarxa Veïnal contra el Soroll (Xavecs) has released these figures to demand more control over the hospitality sector from the Barcelona City Council. In a statement, the residents' platform argues that the data reflects a repeated non-compliance with municipal ordinances and a lack of inspections.
"A thorough and strict review by the administration can provide solutions to the noise and disturbance problems generated by bars and restaurant activities, and this should involve a decrease in the number of terrace licenses before those for 2027 are renewed," the statement notes.
The entity warns that in 2025 there were 6,899 active terrace licenses, a 6% increase from 2022. For residents, this increase in authorized terraces exacerbates noise conflicts in the districts.
By district, Eixample leads the complaints with 1,996 calls, followed by Sant Martí (1,948) and Ciutat Vella (1,918). Next are Sants-Montjuïc (1,847), which tops the complaints for violations of closing hours, Nou Barris (1,294), Sant Andreu (862), Gràcia (818), Horta-Guinardó (735), Sarrià-Sant Gervasi (727), and Les Corts (375).
The Xavecs groups together community organisations that demand less noise pollution in the city. In March, it launched the Noise Observatory, a digital tool with real-time sound data, analysis of terraces by neighbourhood, and information on the acoustic impact of large musical events and schoolyards.
Affected residents can consult this data through the Noise Observatory and file complaints with the Barcelona City Council or the 112. The next renewal of terrace licenses, scheduled for 2027, will be the time when the residents' platform will demand a reduction in the number of authorisations.
Trending on the web
You may also like
