Rua das Murças in central Funchal suffers from inadequate public lighting. A significant stretch of the street has only one dirty lamp post, with the rest of the illumination coming from the exterior walls of the Barceló Funchal Old Town hotel.
A local business owner reported filing two written complaints with the Municipal Council about the lack of light when the hotel deactivates its facade lighting. The resident ironically questioned if they would have to pay property tax to the hotel, as public street lighting should never depend on the electrical supply or operating hours of a private entity.
The situation, which creates a sense of insecurity, is worsened by the fact that a project uniting buildings in the area did not reinstall public lighting. The removal of lamp posts and wall arms during a hotel construction project and their subsequent non-replacement contribute to the service's inadequacy.
