Clubs in Barcelona to reopen from 11th February
It follows a protracted period of opening and reopening since the midpoint of last year
Nightclubs and bars will be allowed to fully reopen in Barcelona from 11th February.
The nightlife sector is one of the last that has been allowed to return across Catalonia, with tight restrictions put in place from 24th December to prevent the spread of COVID-19 amid rising cases.
Government spokesperson Patricia Plaja has now confirmed though that the sector will be allowed to reopen without any restrictive measures in place. Clubs and bars will not be required to ask for proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test when they reopen, with businesses now allowed to set their own rules for entry.
Face masks are still required in indoor public spaces, but the nightlife sector has warned of the difficulty of enforcing such a measure in clubs, so instead venue owners and promoters have been encouraged to recommend the wearing of masks.
"COVID-19 figures are still high, but the outbreak risk is decreasing as well as the transmission rate," Plaja said during a press conference following a meeting of the Catalan cabinet.
The news that the nightlife sector can reopen follows a protracted series of closures and reopening dating back to June, with measures loosened and put back in place multiple times during that period.
Before being forced to close in December, clubs had been open again since October. That followed a months-long period of closure that began in July after first being allowed to return in June.
