RESIDENTS and tourists staying close to an Ayia Napa fun fair have complained that excessive noise into the early hours of the morning is making their lives a misery.
Tour operator Thomas Cook, which books many of its customers into Ayia Napa’s Panthea Village, situated beside the Palatsio Luna Park, has had enough of the situation.
“The Luna Park next to Panthea is disturbing our guests there, with half of the hotel’s 193 rooms disturbed by the noise,” a letter of complaint to the police and municipality, which was faxed to the Mail, stated.
“Families are demanding compensation and some have been so disturbed that they no longer would consider booking Panthea Village again.”
According to Thomas Cook, the company’s vision is to attract more and more families to the Ayia Napa area. “We have put a lot of effort into finding the best locations and properties for our guests and one of our most important holiday properties in Cyprus is Panthea Village,” they say.
“It is not our wish that the Luna Park should be moved or shut down, we just kindly ask that the noise and volume of music are controlled and follow general restrictions. It is not right that the Luna Park, year after year, causes negative comments for Ayia Napa as a resort.”
The letter continues: “It is not acceptable that one Luna Park can spoil so many people’s holiday, without any consequences, while tour operators and hotels suffer financially as a result.
“We have contacted the local authorities but it seems that nobody takes this issue seriously or is able to help us.”
Accompanying Thomas Cook’s complaint was also one from Panthea Village itself, dated July 23.
“Further to my letter of last year, we are still facing the same problems, with the situation even worse now,” wrote General Manager Panayiotis Sourcounis.
“Complaints from our guests have increased dramatically and we have been forced to place an announcement, on the tour operator’s website, warning our guests about the noise from the Luna Park.
“Please understand that this cannot be tolerated any more and a solution to this matter must be found the soonest possible.”
A man living close to Palatsios also contacted the Mail yesterday. “The Park is staying open until 5am at the weekend and 4am during the week and the noise is stopping me and my fellow neighbours from sleeping properly,” he said.
As well as the booming music, we are constantly awoken by people screaming on the Sling Shot ride and nobody is listening to our complaints.
Mayor Antonis Tsokkos said the issue is the responsibility of the police. He was quoted in Politis newspaper as saying: “The municipality is only responsible for the licence of the Luna Park and I can say that it is operating legally. In conjunction with the police, we are always trying to deal with situations involving noise pollution in the best possible manner.”
When contacted, the police yesterday said that they have not received an official complaint regarding the Park.
