Someone has to make a decision: Is there more revenue from the party crowd, restaurants and night clubs or from the few new residential buildings that have crept up lately? We also have to remember who was there first. It is tantamount to building a housing development next to an established airport and then the new homeowners complain that jets are too noisy. I say that the party crowd need a place to go and I accept that they are employing people and generating revenue. Is that revenue more that taxes and utilities from a few condo buildings? I do not know but someone should decide very soon before the Gap becomes quiet like a cemetery. LB

The Gap is advertised as the entertainment strip in Barbados, yet when tourists arrive they are faced with a Gap that closes around 3 a.m. What is that? Just mere false advertising? Gone are the days when you leave the gap with the rising of the sun because the party vibe is so sweet. That ridiculous law about shutting off the music at a certain time has definitely put a huge dent in business because persons like myself are not going to come out to party at 1 am only to feel as though I have been robbed when I am leaving 1-2 hours after. The party attitude of locals have changed, we like to come out later and party into the morning. It’s just a better vibe that way. But like everything else, the Government just always needs to mess up things for persons trying to make a dollar.

I am an entertainer as well and cannot see why Hotels and night life entertainment not come together for the sake of the industry. Some Hotels wants to have the whole pie, by trying to keep their guests in by having their own programs. The thing about this is, it’s not good management because all you are doing is causing others not to make money as well. Then when these institutions do not get their way, the fight begins blaming others of laud music. When tourists come to our shores they do know where the entertainment and loud music are, so to keep fighting over establishments that have been providing patrons for over thirty years and more are just selfish and inconsiderate to one’s livelihood.

It’s a pity most of our hotels are owned by foreigners and the locals with their little businesses are the ones who seem to suffer. My next concern is that you can hardly see the Sea anymore as all these buildings blocking the beauty of our country; and don’t even go there to tell me it’s progress. What happens here is Hotels are not allowed to own beaches here so what they do, build massive Hotels without access to our beaches, we are being sold out, each Hotel should have an access path for Barbadians to walk through and not starting from Hastings and walking all the way to Miami beach..total madness and shame on those giving the approval.

Places should apply for licenses to broadcast loud music for a certain span of time perhaps until 1AM, 3AM, or 5AM…
It should then be noted somewhere on the government website that such an application has been made with a month or so for public comment. A copy would be sent to the Constituency Council also to allow the council to know what is being proposed in that district.  If you look at websites by the Governments of Bermuda, or Anguilla, Cayman Islands, all that kind of information is at ones finger tips but not in Barbados.  I just see a lot of Barbados sites going up for a few months then not being updated again until they eventually go back into hibernation with the “Under construction” sign up for a next 2-3 years.

“Party goers traditionally come out from around midnight; so the 3 a.m. closing doesn’t give them any time to get into the party vibe, or allow the bar – the moneymaking arm of the club – to make any money,” said one clubber. 

So what’s wrong with party goers coming out earlier to party?  Instead of midnight start your partying at 10:00.  When things change you change also.  No one needs to be subjected to ear-splitting music simply because you want to have your fun.  This party mentality regardless of who it disturbs needed to stop.  I’m glad to see common sense prevail.

I lived in Canada, when i go to Barbados the gap was one of the places i like and even recommended friends to visit but not now. It was a great place to lime, meet other people even friends and family that lived overseas that you dont see as often and you see them in The Gap. I was in for a shock 3:30 or 4am it was a ghost town. Sometimes i find the government or whomever is giving too much of their culture or freedoms just to please some tourist. Cannot let people come in waving money and bow down to their needs.
The Gap has always been known as a party area, the hotels should of market to a certain type people who want to lived or vacationed their due to the high level of noise and high traffic place.

Overpriced? Outdated? Too much NOISE/music??

in all fairness we must look at the whole pie. the gap is only a slice. as much as i would like to own a bar and restaurant,i must consider the consequences that the environment will harbour,likewise when the music needs to be loud to attract a following ,usually the character of that crowd is not the most desirable. i just returned from a cruise and i witnessed three lounges in close proximity of each other playing different styles of music and the loudness of each kind of music actually complimented each other as opposed to competing with the others,as you leave the big band lounge you will hear the caribbean music and when you reach into the club you hear the dance music.. if you have a good sound and selections people will come… the other side to this is fairness and corruption..the police comes in the ghettos,bus stands and car parks and shut down the party,but here we are asking to keep the gap open. its all about tolerance, stamp out corruption,spread the wealth by giving opportunity to all,

If someone takes the time and money to invest in a sound proof building that neighbours across the street really can’t hear booming music, there’s no reason why it should have to close early.

the gap has always been a cesspool of crack heads.
too much is too much for such a small little gap.
i would never visit that area as the crazy and nasty behavior that goes on there this not 1980 any more
too overwhelming the disgusting wucking up and loud talking of the bajans.
the gap is a crap hole.

It is absolute INSANITY to have the main entertainment strip close so early.

And I agree, if you move near an airport, you can’t very well demand quieter planes. It is part and parcel of the decision.

Let the proprietors decide if a late closing is worth it, and attach an additional charge to their license. Or maybe, just lower music after 3AM. But as a visitor, and I did have a conversation with a friend who just returned…....it makes Barbados not such an attractive venue.

the gap is a crack hole area.
loud music and nasty ,vulgar behavior abound.
who from a civilized country would want to go there?
bajans must realize that places like Hawaii are way more beautiful and people don’t harass you.
why come to Barbados for to be hustled?

To Mr. Harry Callahan,
With all respect to you sir. we are proud of what we have, it may not be much but we are contented with what we have. Yes maybe an improvement to make the popular night spot a better attraction for these modern times, but it takes lots of money to do these things and all the people who work there would like is a lively to feed their families. There are many other area’s you can go, I find it ok, everywhere in the World there are many crap holes to be found and I have travelled many parts of the world and have seen worst. People who just like to go around criticizing others but back home no different.
It’s a pity when some people just cannot respect one’s culture, we were always a spirited people, then we started selling our properties to every tom dick and harry and seems not to have anymore say in our own country. We have had many white own clubs around Barbados for years with much louder music before now a few Barbadians have awaken up to a slice of the cake and are faced with untimatums either do or die. I am not a racist but believe in fair play, many people of all races frequent these establishments. Why not suggest a compromise all parties concern that the music level a bit down as some businesses were have their loud speakers outside where I think were a bit loud but we can discuss these problems and come to some amicable agreement. Everyone wants to make a living, we are not Brazil or Spain, we are who we are and with a little working together will solve a lot of miss understandings that can easily be rectified….I find your comments to be a bit racist in content.

what culture?
you are not any original natives of this island.
and please note Mr Kenneth king——In the British West Indies, plantation slavery was instituted as early as 1627. In Barbados by the 1640s there were an estimated 25,000 slaves, of whom 21,700 Were White. [22] It is worth noting that while White Slaves Were Worked to Death in Barbados, there were Caribbean Indians brought from Guiana to help propagate native foodstuffs who were well‑treated and received as free persons by the wealthy planters. “...White Indentured Servants Were Employed and Treated, Incidentally, Exactly like Slaves…” [23]
white people were here first long before any blacks were imported.
where is the white culture?putting bars in our windows so blacks don’t kill and rape our women.
get a grip.

@ Harry Callahan, listen don’t even go there if you don’t know me, I can’t believe you are telling me about my history and the kind of suffering our forefathers had to endure due to people like you. If you really research someone character out first to determine who they are, the accusation you are making that I am not a native, you would know who I really am. But I like how your kind some up our forefathers accusing them of wanting to rape your woman, when in fact our woman were raped and abused during the slavery period, however you seem to be writing your own history facts as to who really were in charge of things then, another thing how come some of our forefathers children were of a lighter complexion, how did this came about?
You have just displayed your ignorance and the sensitivity of a subject that we really do not like to get into especially when you seem prejudice by trying to explain to me a black man that your forefathers were first slaves, yet they had all the good privileges being able to live good lives and not like how the blacks were treated like animals. Don’t even let me go there, I responded because you used my name aiming directly at me with your lack of respect of my people and the hardships they had to endure over that period, of which some of the hate still exist today but only spoken behind closed doors. So don’t tell me when my country was first settled by white’s during the 1627 era, that is history but others were living there long before remember? ….And now what was your point…..

I’m actually surprised that the moderator has allowed comments from “Harry Callahan” to be posted (pretty much the same comment psted in reply to two separate stories).....these comments go against the Comment Policy rule #1 which in part states “not to submit content that incites violence or hatred….” May I suggest Mr “Harry Callahan” that you stay behind those bars with your magnum .45 at your side and read the history of slavery in Barbados from other sources besides the Wikipedia.

dear Kenneth King my ancestors were white slaves on this island before any blacks were here.since 16 27
and i did go that way.whites were here first do your history.
i don’t care about your long talk.face facts.
and stop being so know it all .
best wishes though as it is all too late now. Barbados done.soon no tourist will come here.
hotels empty now.smarten up man.

the only true natives of Barbados would be Arawak and Carib Indians.

can not handle the truth ?www.israelect.com/reference/WillieMartin/SLAVE-1.htm
http://www.africaresource.com/rasta/sesostris-the-great-the-egyptian-hercules/the-irish-slave-trade-forgotten-white-slaves/

How did this topic descend into one about slavery, rape and violence against whites?  Weren’t we talking about St. Lawrence Gap?  I read Mr. Callahan’s venon with some surprise.  I’ve read the ground rules for posting and wonder how come he gets to skirt them.  Let’s keep it civilized people.