5 Mar, 2024 @ 13:24
1 min read

Bars and restaurants in Spain could be forced to close earlier: Plans suggested by the deputy PM spark outrage

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A POTENTIAL plan to force bars and restaurants to close earlier across Spain have sparked a fierce backlash.

It comes after the deputy PM and jobs minister Yolanda Diaz this week said it is ‘crazy’ that such businesses remain open until 1am.

Diaz is pushing for a 35-hour week for all workers and believes that Spain should reflect other European nations, where restaurants and bars typically close by 11pm or midnight.

During a meeting in Congress on Monday, the leader of the Sumar party said a 35-hour week could give a ‘backbone’ to the Spanish economy, and said it is unacceptable that businesses have meetings at 8pm, or that hospitality businesses remain open until 1am.

READ MORE: Outrage in Sevilla over plans to charge tourists for major tourist attraction

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The comments have sparked fear in the tourism industry, which brings in tens of billions of euros each year – thanks in part to visitors who enjoy eating and drinking in tapas bars late into the night.

The Nighttime Leisure and Entertainment Association of Spain (España de Noche) immediately rejected the idea of closing such establishments earlier.

In a statement, the body said: “Taking into account that nightlife is one of our main tourist attractions, the proposal would be a shot in the foot that would only benefit our competitors in the tourism market by questioning one of our most unique and particular values of the Spanish lifestyle.

“Spain has the best hospitality, leisure and nightlife in the world… The offer and activity is one of the pillars of Spain being the first country in the world in vacation tourism, so any experiment that endangers our lifestyle, our tourist attraction and the activity of companies in the sector, will simply be rejected by the industry.”

Diaz said she is consulting with 60 experts on the issue of work time management before making any policy announcements.

Laurence Dollimore

Laurence Dollimore is a Spanish-speaking, NCTJ-trained journalist with almost a decade’s worth of experience.
The London native has a BA in International Relations from the University of Leeds and and an MA in the same subject from Queen Mary University London.
He earned his gold star diploma in multimedia journalism at the prestigious News Associates in London in 2016, before immediately joining the Olive Press at their offices on the Costa del Sol.
After a five-year stint, Laurence returned to the UK to work as a senior reporter at the Mail Online, where he remained for two years before coming back to the Olive Press as Digital Editor in 2023.
He continues to work for the biggest newspapers in the UK, who hire him to investigate and report on stories in Spain.
These include the Daily Mail, Telegraph, Mail Online, Mail on Sunday and The Sun and Sun Online.
He has broken world exclusives on everything from the Madeleine McCann case to the anti-tourism movement in Tenerife.

GOT A STORY? Contact newsdesk@theolivepress.es or call +34 951 273 575 Twitter: @olivepress

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