GAM to impose fixed closing time on cafés, clubs in residential areas

AMMAN — The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) on Tuesday said it will start enforcing a fixed closing time for cafés, nightclubs, carpentry shops and other places licensed as commercial outlets in residential areas next month. 

The decision will go into effect on May 1 after the municipality obtained a green light from the Cabinet.

The move was prompted by “a great number of public nuisance complaints filed by residents”, said Ali Hadidi, the director of GAM’s professional licences and promotions department. 

"Many people have complained that they cannot live in peace due to the noise from these places. Celebration halls are also covered by the decision," he told The Jordan Times over the phone.

Stores will also be required to close down at midnight during summer and at 11pm in winter. 

"Residents have particularly complained of car horns and the shouting of football fans when they watch matches late in the evening," Hadidi added. 

He said GAM teams already began heading to these outlets to notify them of the decision. 

Asked about the number of shops located in residential areas, Hadidi said teams are working on calculating the exact figure. 

"The main residential areas that have many shops are Abdali, Zahran and Talaa Al Ali," he added. 

The municipality had submitted an official letter to the government requesting its approval for this decision.

The letter cited violations to the licensing conditions some of these outlets have committed, including trespassing on sidewalks by restaurants, for example. 

GAM also plans to build fences around vacant plots of land it owns to prevent valet service companies from using them as parking lots.