Speaking to Lusa, GO Porto, the municipal company responsible for managing the century-old market, said it is necessary to "reassess some of the options taken" when drawing up the regulations and starting the market's activity. Options to be reconsidered include making opening hours more flexible depending on the time of year (summer or winter), festivities, holidays, specific activities or "other circumstances". In some cases, opening the space on certain dates could be optional, "respecting the needs and traditions of traders". "We want to make it clear that there are exceptions that should be considered and extend the possibility of changing opening hours, taking into account established traditions and the needs of traders, which can happen, for example, when a restaurant requests to open exceptionally on a Sunday or on a holiday to hold a specific event", says GO Porto. In addition to opening hours, the revision proposal aims to introduce a warning before applying fines for non-compliance. "When a situation of non-compliance is detected that, depending on its severity, does not immediately require the application of sanctions, a more pedagogical approach will be favoured to allow for the understanding of norms and rules", it clarifies. Clarifying the rules that apply to the various realities of the market, namely stalls, restaurants and outdoor shops, is another objective. "The experience of this year and a half of operation has shown that the regulations have numerous rules that are focused on stalls and that do not correspond when other spaces are involved", it notes. The revision proposal will also seek to improve the temporary use of other spaces to boost the market, such as the Cozinha do Bolhão and the auditorium, and to clarify the categories of products that can be sold in Bolhão, "respecting the principle of non-competition". In the first three months of the year, the market management held 78 individual meetings with traders to gather input for the revision proposal, which is still being drafted, and there is currently no forecast for when it will be discussed by the municipal executive. The management of the Bolhão market has been the target of criticism by the Bolha de Água Traditional Commerce Association, particularly in matters such as the application of fines, holding of external fairs and compliance with opening hours. Bolhão reopened on 15 September 2022 and since then more than seven million visitors have passed through the market. Currently, 77 stalls, seven restaurants and 28 outdoor shops are fully operational. Read Also: Airport. Lisbon tourism entity views Alcochete with "great satisfaction" (Portuguese version)