Cristina Hodgson
THE Junta has requested all coastal towns in Malaga to close off beaches at night in the face of the increase in COVID-19 cases.
All the municipalities of Malaga were moved to the COVID-19 health alert level 3 last Thursday, July 22, as a result of the rampant coronavirus surge in the province.
Consequently, the Junta has imposed a tightening of coronavirus control measures in many areas, including night closure of beaches in Malaga.
The coastal towns now closing their beaches at night between 11pm and 7:00am include: Marbella, Malaga, Velez, Benalmadena and Fuengirola, among others.
Other municipalities are opting to reinforce police surveillance on the coasts with sanctions for those who disobey the new rules ranging from €100 and €600 for minor breaches, and up to €600,000 for very serious offenses. With hefty fines for ‘botellon’ drinking parties set at around €750.
The Official Gazette of the Junta does include some exceptions in which access to beaches is not prohibited at night, including: fishing as well as the beach ‘chiringuitos’ which will be governed by the timetable established for the hospitality sector.
Level 3 restrictions mean that in bars and restaurants, there will be a maximum capacity limit of 50% imposed indoors, with a limit of four people per table inside and six on the terraces. Social distancing measures must also be complied with.
All these new restrictions are focused mainly on one target group: young people, specifically those between 16 and 29 years of age.
The new alert level applies for seven days, starting from last Friday, July 23.
READ MORE:
- Discover three of the best virgin beaches in Spain’s Malaga
- SECRET SPAIN: These are the best hidden beaches to visit in Spain
