Isha Sesay
THE measures proposed to halt the spread of coronavirus at nightclubs in Phase 3 of Spain’s de-escalation plan have been labelled as ‘disastrous’ by those working within the industry.
For weeks, nightclubs in the Balearic Islands have been gearing up to reopen in the final phase to reach a ‘new normality,‘ particularly in Mallorca and even more so in Ibiza, where the clubbing scene brings millions of euros in each year.
To proceed safely, the Federation of Nightlife Entrepreneurs (Espana de Noche), together with the Institute of Spanish Tourist Quality (ICTE) have prepared a guide of preventative measures which all of its members must follow.
These include the mandatory use of face masks inside venues and the implementation of markers on the floor to ensure clients adhere to social distancing.
These are currently being ‘signed off’ by the Ministry of Health, with the guidelines set to be published in the next few days.
However, the guidelines have left a bad taste in the mouth of many working within the sector who claim the rules are not ‘viable for businesses in reality.’
Jose Luis Benitez, the president of the Balearic Leisure Association and which includes big-name brands including Amnesia, Pacha, Blue Marlin and Brit favoured Ocean Beach Club, has openly disagreed with the proposed measures.
Furthermore, he considers that some of them are ‘reckless and unpractical’, particularly when asking clients to stay within one spot on the dance floor.
“You can isolate workers, give them training and tell them the rules but what we are concerned about is the customer – I don’t see social distancing as something that is possible to achieve,” said Benitez in an interview with Nou Diari.
Benitez also went on to state that the reopening of major clubs in the Balearic Islands for the summer season would be ‘unlikely’ under these rules.
PROPOSED MEASURES:
- Queues: These will be adapted using markers on the floor to ensure clients keep a two metre distance from one another.
- Terraces: The use of outdoor areas at venues are encouraged to control the flow of clients within a premises.
- Face masks: The use of face masks will be mandatory.
- Dance floors: Markers at a two metre distance will be painted on the floor to show clients where they can stand.
- VIP areas: Reserved areas and VIP boxes are encouraged to guarantee the distance between groups of people.
- Capacity: Staff will be asked to monitor the number of people on a dance floors to ensure that the set capacity is respected.
- Drinks: Electronic menus and applications with QR codes and payment systems through POS systems are recommended.
- Bathrooms: Hand washing and use of hand gels are compulsory for those both entering and leaving a restroom. Staff must monitor their capacity and operation.
Alongside the guidelines, Noche de Espana have produced a video in Spanish that shows exactly how the nightclub sector must operate in Phase 3.
READ MORE:
- Travelplan offers seven-night stays in Spain’s Balearic Islands from €299 to boost national tourism post COVID-19
- Spain’s Balearic Islands propose arrival of 3,000 international holidaymakers in JUNE as part of pilot test for tourism
