LATVIA – In order for the residents of Riga to be able to sympathize with the Latvian men’s basketball team, which is participating in the World Basketball Championship for the first time, from August 25 to September 10, mobile beverage machines and television screens will be allowed to be placed in outdoor cafes in Riga.
The placement of screens and mobile bars in summer cafes will be allowed with the aim of attracting visitors to cafe and restaurant owners, as well as Riga residents and guests of the city to gather on the outdoor terraces of Riga cafes and restaurants to sympathize with the path of the Latvian national team in the World Basketball Championship, which is being held this year in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines.
Until this summer, the placement of mobile beverage equipment and screens was possible on summer terraces that are not attached to cafes and restaurants located in permanent buildings. This year, for the first time, screens could also be placed in summer cafes located near restaurants and cafes in the buildings during the World Ice Hockey Championship and the Song and Dance Festival.
In order to place an outdoor cafe, it is necessary to obtain a permit from the municipality for street sales. The permit can be applied for electronically, on the eriga.lv portal, in the Street sales section, or in person, at the customer service departments of the Neighborhood Residents’ Center (AIC) of the city of Riga. When submitting an application, the remarks section must indicate the need to place a portable beverage machine and/or TV screen.
If a street trade permit has already been received or an application for a summer cafe permit has already been submitted in order to be able to place a screen and/or beverage equipment, a free-form application must be submitted to the AIC with a request, in addition to the submitted documents, to coordinate the placement of the beverage equipment and/or TV screen in the outdoor cafe, indicating the registration number of the previously submitted application or the issued trade permit number assigned by the municipality.
In both cases, the location of the equipment – the screen and/or mobile beverage equipment – marked in the location plan of the outdoor cafe must be attached to the application, indicating the dimensions of the equipment. In the case of an agreed summer cafe project, this should be indicated in the layout plan included in the project. The location and type of fastening of the TV screens must also be specified. Mobile beverage equipment requires photo-fixation of the equipment.
After receiving a permit for street sales, the operation of the mobile beverage equipment must be approved for the retail sale of alcoholic beverages in the shed. AKKA/LAA and LAIPA licenses must be obtained to play content on screens.
Conditions that must be taken into account for the placement of the mentioned equipment:
- equipment may be placed only in the territory of the outdoor cafe, observing the free width of the sidewalk, driveway and driveway;
- the solution and connection must be of design quality and technically safe;
- all wires and cables must be covered with cover panels;
- it is forbidden to fasten the equipment to building facades;
- the owner of the cafe responsible for technical safety;
- the operation of the equipment must not disturb other residents;
- in case of justified complaints, the equipment must be dismantled immediately.
More information about the procedure for coordinating summer cafes in Riga at riga.lv.
