In a significant move to rejuvenate social life in rural communities, French lawmakers have overwhelmingly supported a bill that simplifies the process of opening bars in villages. The vote, which concluded with an impressive margin of 156 to 2, took place on Monday, signaling a strong desire to revitalize small-town social interactions.
New legislation details
The proposed legislation seeks to alleviate the stringent restrictions currently in place regarding the issuance of alcohol permits for new bars. At present, a type-4 alcohol license is mandatory to operate a bar that serves beverages with an alcohol content exceeding 18%. Under existing regulations, no new permits can be granted until a current establishment ceases operations. However, the new bill, pending Senate approval, would permit aspiring bar owners in towns with populations under 3,500 and lacking a bar to apply for a new license without the lengthy wait.
“An old and obsolete legal framework should be replaced,”
noted lawmaker Guillaume Kasbarian, emphasizing the need for legislative reform. Local mayors will hold the authority to approve or deny these permit requests, giving them a crucial role in the process.
The impact of declining bar numbers
The decline in the number of bars and cafés in France has been alarming, dropping from approximately 200,000 in the 1960s to around 36,000 by 2015. Most of these closures have occurred in rural areas, leading to increased isolation for residents. Supporters of the bill argue that reviving local bars is essential for strengthening community ties and enhancing social life.
However, this initiative is not without its critics. Concerns have been raised regarding potential health risks associated with increased alcohol consumption, as the French health ministry reports that about 49,000 annual deaths in the country are linked to alcohol use, labeling this a “major public health issue.”
Despite these concerns, many lawmakers, including Fabien Di Filippo, advocate for the importance of bars as communal spaces. He stated that they are “above all, places for people to come together in very rural areas and in a society where people have a tendency to close in on themselves.”