Nightlife reopening plan out: compulsory face masks, no drinks on dancefloor

Catalonia has revealed the reopening plan for nightclubs and other late-night venues, which will come into force once the closure order from Spain's Health Ministry expires.

Procicat, the civil protection body, published the rules on Wednesday, including measures on ticketing, facemasks, dancefloors, ventilation and queueing.

The Catalan goverment expects that the ban on nightlife will be lifted in the next four to eight weeks.

Currently, bars, cafes and restaurants are able to open to 11pm in Catalonia; the new plan will apply to late-night establishments such as clubs, karaoke bars and music venues that open late.

Measures

Venues with a capacity of more than 500 people must employ an electronic booking system for ticket sales. For smaller venues, this will be a recommendation only. All venues, no matter how big, must keep on record the names and contact details of anyone buying tickets at the box office, in order to help contact tracing in the event of Covid-19 infection.

Measures should be put in place to ensure social distancing and mask wearing in the event that queues form outside the venue. In fact, face masks will be compulsory at all times, except when eating or drinking. Venue entrances and exits should be separate where possible.

Eating and drinking will not be allowed on dancefloors, and masks will be obligatory. In venues with a capacity of over 500, dance floors will have specific entry and exit points, access will not be available from any point.

The plan also includes regulations on cleaning and ventilation. Spaces should be ventilated as often as possible and at least three times a day for 10 minutes. Ventilation should also start two hours before the opening of the premises and run until one hour after closing.

Trial opening after almost 10 months closed

Nightlife in Catalonia has been closed since late July 2020. A planned reopening in October was scrapped as cases of Covid-19 began to rise again.

Five late-night bars in the seaside town of Sitges are to reopen on May 20 as part of clinical trial. From 11pm to 3am venues on the town's so-called "Sin Street" will open their doors to party-goers who manage to sign up for the trial and who have proof of a negative rapid Covid-19 test from that same day.