Walking along Váci utca last week, I saw that “Madame Pompadour’s”, a fixture on Budapest’s adult entertainment circuit, had closed its doors. The bar, which was always easy to spot from the silhouettes of the dancers through the windows and the guy outside trying to get tourists to go in, had a small sign next to the door that said the place was being renovated. Index.hu, however, reported back in April that Madame Pompadour’s had been closed by the city, as part of a newfound drive to fight venues that rip people off with exorbitant bills, seeing as someone in the local government finally realized this might not be such a tourist-friendly practice.
In the past, when a place was reported for ripping off guests, the venue manager’s operating license was merely suspended, allowing someone else to jump in with a new permit, which meant that these places could continue operating as before. Now, however, the venues’ doors are to remain closed for the duration of the investigation and possible trial. Additionally, the places are no longer charged with extortion, but kidnapping and ransom, which carry a far heftier penalty, including up to fifteen years in prison.
As index.hu reported in a different piece, the Budapest police recently arrested half the staff of one of these (unnamed) places last week after ripping off some Spanish tourists. Furthermore, the Hungarian Tourist Industry has proposed that the law be modified so that those convicted of ripping off tourists in this manner be barred from working in consumer-related establishments for a decade, index.hu added in a different piece.
So while we’ve lost some good nightlife spots over the years in Budapest, we can’t help but smile when we see these places shut down. We just hope that given Formula 1‘s annual visit to Hungary this past weekend, we won’t be hearing too many stories similar to this one soon.
Speaking of closures of a different variety, any news about District 6 talking about wanting to close all outdoor drinking venues after midnight?
Seems like the place is open again. And as far as I can remember the sign said technical issues, not renovation.. but I guess it’s more or less the same.
All nogoodnik Westerners and other freeloading external pariahs presently residing in Budapest should be forced to frequent Madame Pompadour’s, Éden Night Club, and similar shady establishments at least two times every single week. That’ll teach them how to behave, like nothing else will.
@expiredHun:
I might be willing to come to Budapest for this – but only if you come with me and foot the bill…
@Rabid Farkas: YOU do not have to go to Hungary, buddy, since you already live there, correct?
On the other hand, when was the last time YOU were able to scrape together enough forints for a round-trip train ticket from the dreary countryside up to the Hungarian capital, hmmm?
@wolfi or WTF: you seem to be picking the dumbest fake names of everyone congregating on these here pages. Why type of a fricking handle is newcastle,delaware, you fool?
BTW, I think the only thing Expat Hungo would be footing is his foot in your ass, I suppose. No?