Businesses turn to cash only sales as they stay open amid electricity blackout

Shops, bars, and restaurants are trying to keep their businesses active on Monday despite the blackout, which began at 12:30 in the afternoon.

In the area around Hospital Clínic and Avinguda Tarradellas in Barcelona, restaurant activity has continued through the afternoon, despite the fact that establishments can only charge in cash.

Other main commercial areas, such as the Gran Via 2 shopping centre, has opted for the same strategy.

The Tarradellas Pharmacy, next to Sants train station, is also trying to maintain services open despite the complications. 

"We don't have access to electronic prescriptions or management programs," explained Núria, one of the pharmacists, but "we can't leave people without medication," she added.

Núria said she wanted to keep "delivering medication to patients" although it was "very complicated" due to the lack of access to the prescription systems that pharmacies are connected to.

They have only been able to accept payment in cash, although Núria said that "if they are lifelong patients," the establishment can trust them and let them pay another time. "We assess each situation based on whether it can wait or not," she added.

At the bar 'L'estoneta' in the same area, the only payments possible are also in cash, with receipts made manually by writing them down on a piece of paper, as explained by Montse, one of the waitresses.

"We thought it was a power outage due to works at the station, but later they told us no, that it was nationwide," she explained.

The establishment where she works does not serve hot food, mostly only cold sandwiches, and they have to wash everything by hand. "I'm a little nervous, I don't know how I'm going to get home," Montse adds, "maybe I'll have to stay here at work tonight."