So this is the sight I came home to this evening…

This is the same bar in my building that recently reopened after having been closed for years… the same bar that caught on fire in the middle of the night and sent all of us outside clutching our most treasured possessions. And the same bar that promised they would be serving tapas and be a “family style” place. Bullshit. It’s a cheap drinks bar and they reopened (again) this week, after doing repairs from the fire.

Well, I’m not having it. Don’t get me wrong. I used to love the “hum of humanity” sound from all the tapas bars on my old street, and even found it comforting. Listening to people chatting and enjoying good food and conversation. But those bars all closed by midnight and the bar owners made sure they cleaned the outside areas. Trust me, the sound of young hipster types drinking to excess is not pleasant, and the mess they leave behind is appalling.

This bar owner also has the sleazy after-hours bar just down the street, which is so tiny that everyone ends up taking their drinks outside, mostly under my bedroom window – from 6 to 9am! – which is irksome beyond belief. It’s not been too unbearable up till now as I’ve had the double-glazed windows closed. But basically, I’ve had enough. I’ve spoken to the bar owner and clearly nothing is going to be done as all he seems to be able to say in his defense is that he has a licence.

I happen to know that he does not have a licence to make noise all night and disturb the neighbours so I am starting to organise the neighbourhood to sign a petition and take it to city hall. Enough!