The people’s paper ISSUE NO. 1849
10 - 16 December 2020
News
COSTA DEL SOL • WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM
FREE • GRATIS
LIFELINE CALL
THE Andalucia Federa tion of Catering Busi nesses (Horeca) is calling for more support for business struggling un der new regulations in a move it hopes will give the hospitality sector a boost before Christmas. It has asked the Junta de Andalucia for permis sion for restaurants to open until 11.30pm. This, they say, will al low them to serve dinner and keep thousands of businesses alive and peo ple in work. Current restrictions, which mean they can on ly serve on the premises until 6pm, with another four hours until curfew, are leading to dangerous situations in which peo ple are gathering private ly. This means there are no health measures and no control to prevent coronavirus contagion, as bars and restaurants are closed, the federation has said. They report that peo ple openly arrange, while still at bars and restau rants, to all go home to gether once they close.
OPEN FOR BUSINESS: But the hospitality sector needs a boost before Christmas. Profits have reportedly fallen by 70 per cent in the catering sector over the December long week end, compared to the same holiday period last year, due to the curfew, plus the bad weather. Combined, these fac
tors prevented many premises from using their outdoor terraces, while indoor occupancy levels are allowed at only 30 per cent in most of An dalucia. In Malaga, the allowed rate is 50 per cent. In readiness for the an nouncement regarding new measures expected from the Junta de An dalucia this week, Horeca has stressed that the sur vival of some 250,000 people depends upon better conditions for the sector. As such, it is asking for closing times to be ex tended until 11.30pm, as well as allowing higher occupation levels throughout the region. An agreement would be a huge boost for busi nesses and customers alike.