Security and Tourism: concerted local policies
The main objectives of the study were to: Objectivise the residents feeling about their quality of life; Bring out the main nuisances responsible for the residents' malaise; Collect expectations and proposals from inhabitants; Better inform public authorities so that they can take the most adequate measures. A letter was distributed beforehand to the whole neighbourhood to alert residents about the upcoming pollsters' visit. The questionnaire was distributed over a period of three months to ensure the coherence of data. It was done door to door or by appointment, and all the streets of the neighbourhood were represented. Furthermore, the questionnaire was administered at different times to allow for representing the largest public possible. The survey corroborated the observations reported by the local residents committee and the Public Peace Manager. The main findings concerned: Noise pollution, especially music in nightlife venues and shops; Linked to the first, crowds in the street (terraces blocking pavements, groups hanging out outside of establishments during the evening and night); Linked to the first two; alcohol consumption (drunkenness, noise, brawls); Problems of cleanliness in connection with partying. This questionnaire allowed for maintaining the dialogue between local residents and city services and monitoring measures for restricting nuisances. After this first survey, the city of Brussels, in connection with the Security & Tourism project, got down to elaborating a second questionnaire, this time aimed at tourists with the objective of identifying their perception of conviviality, the living environment and security, all of which interact. Moreover, in order to fight nightlife nuisances, the city of Brussels wants to develop an 'alcohol plan'. The principal measures planned are as follows:
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