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Date Published: 29/11/2021
ARCHIVED - Concerns for Christmas celebrations amid capacity restrictions in Murcia
Bar and restaurant owners in the Region of Murcia consider cancelling Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties
Hoteliers in the Region of Murcia have been waiting with bated breath for the decision on capacity allowances in bars and restaurants, and the Covid Monitoring Committee has announced on Monday afternoon, November 29, that this will be restricted to 30% indoors for venues in the very high risk areas of Abarán, Alhama de Murcia, Fuente Álamo, Torre Pacheco and Mazarrón. No further restrictions were adopted, which will come as some relief to those in the hospitality industry, but those in risk areas “already fear the worst" for the upcoming December holiday weekend.
Speaking before the measure was announced, the head of the Hoytú nightclub sector, Pedro Alarcon, voiced his concern over bookings for Christmas lunches and dinners, as well as Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties, warning that if capacity is limited, “the only thing we could propose is the cancellation” of events.
Regardless of the risk level, all municipalities can still have 100% capacity on their outdoor terraces, but the Hoytú group is pushing for a more comprehensive use of the Covid passport by extending it to all sectors. The regional government did not make any changes to the vaccination cert requirements in Monday’s meeting, something which the president of Hoytú has heavily criticised, claiming that “unvaccinated people contribute to the increase in infections and the appearance of new strains of the disease”.
Representatives of the industry have lamented the fact that Murcia, being one of the regions with the most restrictions in Spain, has a 14-day cumulative incidence rate of 215 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, while Madrid, with far fewer measures, has a much lower rate of infection.
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