Comment by ClassyJacket
5 days ago
Yep. The fact that in most places in the US it's illegal to build apartments above shops is insane. That's the norm in the UK.
5 days ago
Yep. The fact that in most places in the US it's illegal to build apartments above shops is insane. That's the norm in the UK.
It's in Germany too, but recently it's become the norm for new-rich people to buy or rent these apartments and then sue the shop and especially bar owners for noise violations.
Not allowing that kind of mixed usage in the first place completely cuts away all that crap.
My perspective on that one is broadly "screw 'em". If you buy property over a bar or restaurant that was there before you I don't think you should then be allowed to turn around and act surprised that there's a bar or restaurant downstairs.
The problem is, it's not that easy. In the end the law matters - it was just that no one cared for decades, even though the noise from the bars was far above the limits. The old occupants just paid shit in rent, the new ones pay through their nose and expect something for that amount.
Not to say there's not restaurants/bars open just as late or noisy, but fwiw I would say typically a pub in the UK would be the whole (vertical) building - rooms upstairs for staff or B&B, if not more seating for pub restaurant.