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A proposal submitted to Bahrain’s Parliament by Dr Hassan BuKhammas calls for intensified nighttime patrols in the districts of Juffair and Adliya, where residents have lodged multiple complaints about public disturbances. The document urges the Interior Ministry and the Tourism Ministry to increase checks on clubs, tourist restaurants, hotel apartments and furnished flats located near family homes or places of worship. According to the proposal, inspectors should focus on the hours after dark when most incidents occur, with powers to identify violations, address offenders and pursue legal measures where appropriate. The move reflects ongoing tensions between the areas’ popularity as entertainment hubs and the needs of local families.
The proposal follows growing reports from residents who say they have endured noise, drunken behaviour and acts of public indecency from visitors to the tourist venues. Families have described feeling uneasy in their own neighbourhoods because of late-night disturbances that spill out from nearby establishments. In the submission, these issues are presented as having become more frequent, prompting the call for stronger enforcement beyond routine daytime checks.
Dr Hassan BuKhammas stated that routine checks are not enough. ‘We need more inspections in the evening and late at night, especially in areas where families live close to entertainment venues and have complained about disturbances,’ BuKhammas said. He added that residents should be able to live in peace without drunken crowds or unruly visitors disturbing their neighbourhoods. The lawmaker, who represents the area, has received numerous complaints detailing such problems.
Bahrain welcomed 15.18 million visitors in 2025, according to Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority figures, with the majority arriving from Saudi Arabia via land. Juffair and Adliya have developed as key nightlife destinations within the capital governorate, drawing both tourists and locals to their array of dining and entertainment options. This influx has contributed to the sector’s growth but also placed pressure on residential zones intertwined with commercial activity.
The Ministry of Tourism conducted 779 inspections in the Capital Governorate’s fourth constituency covering Juffair and Adliya during 2025, resulting in 103 violations related to hotels, furnished flats and tourist restaurants, according to a ministry response to a parliamentary inquiry. Those violations ranged from financial irregularities to licensing breaches, highlighting regulatory challenges in the sector. The authority has enforced zoning rules to prevent tourist accommodations in purely residential areas.
Such proposals form part of wider efforts to manage visitor activity, which generated BHD 2,033 million in spending in 2025 per the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority. Similar calls for action have surfaced in prior years, including demands for decisive measures against disorderly conduct in the same districts. The latest submission seeks to ensure that enforcement keeps pace with the scale of visitor activity in these mixed-use neighbourhoods.
