Cabo Llanos Residents Decry Uncontrolled Night Parties
Residents in Tenerife's Cabo Llanos are plagued by uncontrolled outdoor parties with loud music, prompting social media complaints and a response from authorities promising increased police patrols and noise monitoring.
The Cabo Llanos area, next to the Maritime Park in Tenerife's capital, has become an uncontrolled outdoor party spot. Loud music, sometimes from cars turned into mobile bars, fills the air late into the night, especially on weekends.
People living in La Torre 1 and nearby areas are fed up. They say they can't sleep because of the constant noise from these "surprise parties" that last until the early hours. What was once a quiet residential area has become a popular gathering spot, especially for young people, who use the parking lots of the Maritime Park or the Palmetum as makeshift party venues.
Feeling desperate, residents have started reporting the problem on social media. An Instagram profile, @ruidoenlatorre (noise in the tower), has been set up to share videos of the noise they endure until morning.
The profile has quickly gained followers. Its creator, who wishes to remain anonymous due to fear of backlash, uses a sarcastic description: "I am a resident of Santa Cruz and I live backstage. Sleeping is overrated. Resident DJ. If you are a resident of Cabo Llanos and live from after-hours, follow me."
The profile's creator encourages other affected residents to share their experiences, jokingly saying they suffer "in silence (well... there is no silence)." Their aim is to stop the noise or, failing that, "join the party." They clarify, "We are not against leisure, but we want responsible leisure."
The first video, posted at 3 AM on December 9th, captured loud banging. The resident explained this was the dismantling of "The Champion Burger" event at the Palmetum. "You can't sleep not only when there are activities but also when they set up and take down the equipment," they complained.
Other videos show groups of people dancing in the Maritime Park parking lots, accompanied by shouting, broken glass, and loud music. The most recent video, uploaded last weekend during Storm Emilia, shows people still gathering for outdoor drinking parties near the Palmetum.
Gladis de León, the Councillor for Security and Emergencies at Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council, told DIARIO DE AVISOS that more local police patrols will be sent to Cabo Llanos because of the residents' complaints. She acknowledged that there have been music events inside the Maritime Park and Palmetum on recent weekends, but stated that "all end at midnight and there is always a police presence until the clearing."
Carlos Tarife, the Councillor for Public Services and Environment, whose department monitors noise levels, added that they are "willing to meet with those affected to analyze the problem." He said that if necessary, noise measurements would be taken to verify the residents' claims of excessive nighttime noise, and corrective actions would be implemented if decibel limits are broken.
According to the city's new Noise Map, the limit is 65 decibels during the day and 55 decibels at night in areas with residents.