Alex Trelinski
BAR and restaurant owners have been given an unexpected boost this evening(April 22) with a four hour extension to opening hours from this Monday(April 26) in the Valencian Community.
Valencian President, Ximo Puig, made the surprise announcement as part of a limited package of changes COVID restrictions to take effect from next week.
The hospitality sector was expecting a two-hour extension in opening hours at best through to 8.00 pm.
The Valencian government however has accepted their demands to trade until the start of the 10.00 pm curfew.
The curfew and regional perimeter closure, along with the rest of the measures, will be maintained until the second State of Alarm expires on May 9.
There will be no change to indoor capacity restrictions of 30% for hospitality businesses or a limit of six people at a table.
Non-essential shop hours are extended from 8.00 pm to 10.00 pm.
Cinemas and theatres can increase their capacity to 75% and banquet hall capacity is raised from 30% to 50%.
Ximo Puig said; “We have 40 infections per 100,000 people which is six times better than the Spanish average and we are the only ‘low risk’ region.”
“If everything continues as it is now, then the regional border closure will end on May 9”, he added.
Puig also held up hope of a ‘modification’ to the curfew times in a fortnight.
He said that one in five Valencians, around one million people, had already had at least one vaccine dose.
“We want summer to be as normal as possible,” Puig said
READ MORE LITTLE CHANGE IN WEEK-TO-WEEK COVID FIGURES FOR COSTA BLANCA AND VALENCIA REGIONS
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