The nightlife on Catalonia begins to see the light at the end of the tunnel. After months with the activity paralyzed by the advance of the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions imposed by the authorities to stop the escalation of infections, bars and clubs receive a breath of air.
The Generalitat de Catalunya will allow nightlife venues open terraces and outdoor spaces until 03:00 hours. In addition, it will extend the opening hours of the restaurants, going from 00:30 to 01:00 hours. This has been agreed with representatives of the sector in a meeting held this past Monday.
The Secretary General of the Department of the Interior of the Generalitat, Oriol Amorós, as well as the Secretary General of Health, Meritxell Masó, announced this past Monday afternoon the new measures.
These new restrictions will go into effect early morning from Wednesday to next Thursday and will allow expand the activity of nightlife establishments, who cannot exercise their activity since last July 9.
Air mouthful
Nightlife establishments cannot carry out their activity since last July 9
According to sources from the nightlife employers’ association present at the meeting, which was also attended by the Minister of Health, Josep Maria Argimon, and the Secretary General of the Department of the Interior of the Generalitat, Oriol Amorós, it was alleged that discos and music bars can open their doors from October 15 with the Covid passport.
However, the Generalitat has specified through a statement that it is a “near horizon” to be able to open the interior spaces of the discotheques, with the possibility to use the Covid passport, provided that the evolution of the pandemic allows it.
The extension of club hours has been agreed by the Generalitat after another weekend in which they have registered massive bottles at various points of Catalonia. The most massive was the one that took place in the campus of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, attended by about 8,000 people.
The representatives of the employers have demanded that the Generalitat forward the interior opening date for clients presenting the Covid passport, which certifies that they have the complete vaccination schedule or have overcome the disease.
Agreed measures
The new restrictions will come into effect on the eve of the festivities of La Mercè, patron saint of Barcelona
The measure agreed by the Generalitat, which will enter into force Eve of the Mercè festivities, patron saint of Barcelona, plans to extend the closure of terraces until 03:00 hours, with half an hour of margin to close.
In the outdoor spaces of pubs and discos it will be mandatory use of masks when it is not consuming and it will be dancing forbidden.
Likewise, in the case of restaurants, the capacity of ten people abroad and six inside.
In a statement, the employers of the Fecalon sector, the Guild of Party Rooms and Discotheques of Barcelona, the Association of Concert Halls and Fecasarm have stated that they are not satisfied with the proposals of the Generalitat, because they only allow 5% of establishments to open, since most do not have outdoor spaces.
However, a spokesperson has specified that applaud the extension of the schedule of the restoration because they consider that it will contribute to sponge the eviction of the establishments.
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