Early closing is ‘death sentence’

THE hospitality sector is ‘drowning’ because of the Valencia government’s covid-19 restrictions that force cafes, bars and restaurants to close at 5pm, say businessmen.

Industry associations across the province of Alicante are threatening to take legal action against regional president Ximo Puig unless he announces a rescue plan or lifts early closing by next Monday.

Owners and workers across Alicante are also planning a series of demonstrations, saying there are 90,000 families in the province that are dependent on an income from the hospitality industry.

They argue the sector is not responsible for the spike in coronavirus cases and without economic support the industry was ‘effectively drowning and needed an urgent solution’.

Colleagues in the city of Valencia have already taken to the streets – after the enforced closing time each afternoon they are demonstrating against the restrictions.

Their business association in the regional capital has said ‘closing at five o’clock in the afternoon is a death sentence’ and said the action by politicians was ‘illogical and incomprehensible’.

It is feared the sector might not recover without government help – which would be forthcoming of the sector was completely shut across Spain – yet they continued to face expenses without the opportunity to maintain income.