Bars and restaurants in Majorca could be set to reopen if owners are able to devise a way to maintain health and safety protocols which comply with the coronavirus health regulations. A new system has been proposed by the president of Restauración Mallorca which hopes to kick start the sector.
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According to the MajorcaDailyBulletin, the president of Restauración Mallorca, Alfornso Robledo has suggested a way for diners to enjoy a meal while being separated by a “methacrylate screen”.
The decision comes after Mr Robledo expressed the belief that Palma town hall had “abandoned the restaurant sector.”
Speaking earlier this month the president said: “The only help they are giving us is to eliminate the terrace tax until December. What will happen to all the establishments which don’t have terraces? They won’t be getting any help.”
“The mayor doesn’t want to get into more debt, but he has no other choice. We are also getting into debt. The town hall needs to ask for help to make sure that the restaurant sector doesn’t disappear.”
Fearful insiders estimate that around 40 percent of bars, cafes and restaurants could be lost once the immediate crisis passes.
“What they don’t realise is that when we can open, if there are no tourists, we won’t be able to survive on the resident populations of each municipality,” added Mr Robledo.
His new plan proposes a way to allow establishments to go back to business whilst also ensuring all visitors and staff are safe.
“The goal is that they are optional, but to open we must comply with the health controls and establish social distancing between tables,” he told MajorcaDailyBulletin.
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“But bars, cafes and restaurants should not be turned into hospitals.”
The new measures would also eliminate physical menus, instead introducing digitised content accessible using a QE code.
Staff would also be provided with face masks, and guests entering would be given alcohol-based hand rub at the door.
“Security protocols affect all areas of restaurants and staff who attend the tables will be given special masks to wear which are made here on the island,” says Robledo.
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The official also said that he felt restaurants with terraces should be allowed to open as soon as lockdown is relaxed in the region.
“Establishments with a terrace can open as soon as the coronavirus lockdown ends, because they are open, safe spaces,” he said, “and that’s the only space where there will be activity in the first, immediate phase, the rooms inside will be closed.”
The Balearic Tourism minister Lago Negueruela has also suggested that the islands will remain closed in May, June and July due to the coronavirus pandemic.
After these months they hope to reopen but will focus on welcoming Spanish nationals before allowing foreign tourists to visit.
Even once the holiday season has been restarted, officials have suggested Britons may not be allowed to visit.
Mr Negueruela hinted that Britons will not be among those returning to the islands and told the local media that only tourists from certain countries will be allowed in.
He said: “There are countries like the United Kingdom that have taken too long to adopt containment measures that also puts us in a different situation with respect to them.”
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