Prague bans pub crawls

Prague banned pub crawls organized by tourism companies Monday in a bid to crack down on nighttime noise from drunken tourists.

The ban passed by local lawmakers means that evening pub crawls — in which participants follow a guide from bar to bar — cannot operate in the Czech capital between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., according to Czech media. It does not affect regular tour groups.

“[The] unreasonable consumption of alcohol and disruptive behavior associated with pub crawls can create the impression of a lack of culture in the community, reduce the feeling of safety and … can have a negative impact on the perception of the municipality by tourists, potential investors and the citizens themselves,” the city’s motion reads.

Prague Deputy Mayor Zdeněk Hřib told reporters Monday that “it will not be possible to have guided tours” at night, while Deputy Mayor Jiří Pospíšil said the city was “seeking a more cultured, wealthier tourist … not one who comes for a short time only to get drunk,” according to AFP.

Residents of Prague’s city center have long complained of noise and safety concerns arising from carousing tourists. The city’s cobblestoned streets are packed with pubs and breweries and the average Czech has the highest beer consumption in the world, according to the Czech Association of Breweries and Malthouses.

Prague’s most popular pub-crawl company, which says it operates 365 days a year and calls itself Europe’s largest pub crawl, did not immediately respond to POLITICO’s request for comment.