Opinions

[Ray1951]

We all have opinions and our own views but we are all united in out love of Calis/Fethiye and the Forum does a great job keeping people abreast of what's happening and providing information.  It is sad to hear that changes are coming into force which could change the place we have all come to love and which some of us have chosen to call home.  The new laws regarding the sale of alcohol and the packaging/labeling of
it.  I don't know how the labeling can be changed BUT ----------   Now we hear that bars and restaurants are going to have a licence to play music, even if it's a radio or TV AND artists (I use the term loosely) will also be required to be licenced.  Tourists enjoy a bit of music when they're out and about on holiday. Some bars/restaurants will not be able to afford a licence.  The tour operators are charging more than ever for flights and holidays so numbers are trending 'down'.  For people who live here all year round some of these things might not affect them but many business's will suffer and may not survive.  We have no say in another countries politics, only "opinions" but it certainly looks and sounds as though there are many changes coming in Turkey in the near future.  Ataturk would turn in his grave.  He liked a smoke, a drink and a wee but of music.

[loz]

Lets try a little perspective here.
Now this is a hypothetical holiday resort in the UK, Devonpool. they have bars, restaurants and clubs, they all like to play music, TV and have live acts.  In this UK resort all establishments must hold a special licence, if they would like to show TV they have to pay the high business rated licence for this service.
They also have a bar liquor licences stating what hours they can sell alcohol, they also have to apply to the local authority and courts for any extended hours or special occasions.  Should a local resident complain, or the police have been called to the named premises regarding ASBO behaviour, or loud music disturbing the peace, then the licence is refused.


Why should a holiday resort not in the UK be any different? If you local village turned into a "Destination" village,  a few bars open in your local village would you not want to have these measures in place?
Isle of Wight anyone? 

[apollo]

The country belongs to the Turkish Citizens. They have the vote, we do not. We will have to live with whatever they decide.
 

[loz]

The country belongs to the Turkish Citizens. They have the vote, we do not. We will have to live with whatever they decide.
 

Yes totally agree.

[Robw]

What will be will be Ray, personally the Fethiye region has a lot more going for it than just bars & alcohol. don't get me wrong I love a beer but if I couldn't have one id still be happy to adjust to the local culture for my two weeks in heaven.

[mog]

without appearing to "sit on the fence", i do agree with many of the comments made, but all i know is i loved Calis and the way it was 6 years ago. The people we have met and the freinds we have made. It just isn't the same any more. Not ready to move just yet but too many changes, and much of what we had 6 years ago won't be there much longer. Tourism, or lack of it will affect everyone. we generally only go out once a week so a few bars closing won't matter to us but many tourism affects all businesses in one way or another and when much of that disappears then so will people connected with it.

[laurack]

We live in a so called resort town in Cornwall and Regulations are killing our town!!!!!!!!!! Pubs are closing at record levels and we even have a plan in our town to cover up our closed shop windows with bright stickers to hide the amount that are empty! Unemployment is huge here with no prospects for the young! I don't think there should be " No regulation" but don't fix something if it's not broken!!!!! But at the end of the day it is up to the Turks as it is their country!!!! But alot of people came to Turkey as it was outside the Euo zone but with the cost of flights and rising prices People will and are looking elswhere!!!!
 

[padraig]

I agree with Robw that the Fethiye area has so much more to offer people other than just alcohol and bars. The new regulations will introduce restrictions to retail outlets very much as it does in the UK. If people like to sit in a bar in the evening i don't really see much of a problem for them. I came to live in Turkey about 2 years ago but about 6 months before I left Scotland the Licensing regulations were really tightened up from a retail perspective. It had little effect as  people adapted accordingly. Tourism in Turkey is under attack from a number of factors but I don't see this new lesgislation having much impact on it.

[Ray1951]

People who live here adapt but tourists have specific things they want from a holiday and if the laws become stricter regarding alcohol and music it could impact on tourism.  If religious laws, which at present are low key, start to come into force then people will think twice about holidaying in Turkey.  Some narrow minded people still shun Turkey because it's a Muslim country, which to me is "their loss".