Spanish nightlife to return on a regional basis

Nightclubs in Spain have been allowed to reopen on a regional basis following a vote by the country’s Interterritorial Health Council earlier this week.

Under the new rules, clubs in regions with a 14-day COVID-19 infection rate of 50 cases per 100,000 or lower will now be allowed to remain open until 3am. Some restrictions will remain in place however: indoor areas will operate at 50% capacity and clubgoers must wear masks and limit their groups to six. Possible restrictions on dancing have not been made clear yet.

The new measures, which have now been written into law, will remain in place until 70% of the Spanish population has been fully vaccinated. All over-50s must have also been vaccinated before measures are further relaxed. The country is expected to reach its aim on both by mid-August. 

“A gradual and progressive return to normality is needed. Lessons must be learned,” Spain’s health minister, Carolina Darias, is quoted as saying.

A 2000-capacity pilot club event is to take place on the Balearic island of Ibiza later this month before further reopening is considered.

Read DJ Mag’s feature about how club workers are feeling in the run-up to the return of events here.