The possibility of the bars operating from Sunday, August 1st, subject to the same rules as the restaurants under the Covid-19 pandemic, will have little impact on business, considered today, July 30th, the president of the Association of Southern and Algarve Discos (ADSA).
Liberto Mealha told the Lusa news agency that the possibility of extended hours until 02:00 am "is positive", but he stressed that the remaining rules now announced to allow its opening, such as limits on capacity and occupation of spaces, do not change the that was already practiced until now.
The ADSA president recalled that many bars had already taken advantage of the possibility of serving food to be able to work and the only thing that is now changing - with the new rules on deconfinement announced on Thursday by the Government - is that this need no longer exists. exist.
«The bars started to function as a snack bar, they only had to have food. Now, the situation is the same, the only thing is that we are no longer obliged to give food», said the businessman, who owns several nightlife venues, mostly located in Albufeira.
The same source stressed that the rules will also remain the same regarding the need for bar customers to remain seated and for limits on the number of people per table to be respected.
«Furthermore, there is still a limitation on the tables, with seating, and it's all the same. Now, we no longer have the obligation, especially after 21 pm, whenever an alcoholic drink was served, having to be accompanied by food», he maintained.
Asked about the possible impact of the measures for the sector's businesses, Liberto Mealha replied: "it's none".
Os bars may open from Sunday, August 1, but subject to the rules applied to restaurants under the Covid-19 pandemic, clarified the Government, which decided to leave out the discotheques, whose opening was only authorized for October.
The ADSA president considered, on Thursday, after the government announcement, that the opening in October arrives "late" for nightlife spaces in the Algarve region, which have "another lost summer".
Liberto Mealha welcomed, however, that bars and clubs in other regions of the country could resume activity on that occasion, albeit late.
«Better late than never, but the fact is that, in fact, when the clubs are announced to open in October, for us, Algarve, it has no effect, it's another lost summer, because, being seasonal, in October the season is practically over and the decision is very harmful”, he said.
At the time, the same source considered that allowing the opening until 02:00 am «was a wise decision», because «many tourists were already saying that it was not worth coming to Portugal or the Algarve with timetables until 22:30». among them visitors from the United Kingdom, who 'chose Spain' because of the timetable.
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