Málaga City Council has decided to maintain the limitations on leisure and hospitality in the Historic Centre and El Romeral (Teatinos) after noting a reduction in noise, especially at night, according to a study commissioned by the Council.
The report prepared by Málaga City Council reveals that 92.5% of the night measurement points show lower sound levels than five years ago, when the Acoustically Saturated Zones (ZAS) were declared. However, the Council believes it is not the right time to lift the restrictions, which will remain in place at least until the next review.
The measurements were taken over a week at 48 points, 41 in the Centre and seven in Teatinos, and were compared to those taken before the measures came into effect in January 2020. The results show a widespread improvement, with daytime reductions in 75% of locations and evening reductions in 52.5%.
Despite this data, the City Council maintains the prohibition on opening new bars, restaurants or leisure venues in both areas, except for those whose processing was initiated before the plans. Special hours are also maintained: from 11:00 PM, venues must keep doors and windows closed and have a person to prevent disturbances; from 2:00 AM, they must stop serving drinks, turn off the music, and clear out within 20 minutes.
The decision was announced on Monday at the monitoring table for the ZAS, which included municipal officials, hospitality representatives, merchants, and residents. The meeting also presented the balance of actions: so far in 2026, the Commerce Area has conducted 538 inspections for public space occupation, while the Local Police has responded to 491 reports in the Centre and 351 in Teatinos.
The sanctions have decreased significantly: 205 cases processed in 2026, compared to 368 for all of 2025 and 872 for 2023. This reduction could be interpreted as greater compliance with the rules, although the City Council insists that the restrictions will remain as long as necessary to ensure residents' rest.
The study marks a milestone in the city's acoustic control policy, which began five years ago with the declaration of the ZAS in response to residents' complaints about night-time noise. Since then, the measures have been the subject of debate between hospitality operators, who demand greater flexibility, and residents, who request their maintenance. For now, the Council opts for caution and leaves the door open for specific adjustments, but with no date for a possible withdrawal.
Interested parties can consult the full study on the Málaga City Council website, where the current regulations for each ZAS zone are also detailed.
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