In a statement, the association points out that in recent weeks there has been an increase in illegal parties and crowds of young people consuming alcoholic beverages, a situation that concerns “the whole community”, including ANEBE.
The evolution of the epidemiological situation in the Lisbon region points to contagion among young people, “especially teenagers”, stresses ANEBE, arguing that bars and clubs should open.
“This measure should be seen as an important deterrent to the identified group behaviours, allowing young people and the population in general to live and socialise in a controlled environment - safely, with rules and hygiene measures”, stresses the association.
In illegal parties and informal gatherings, “it is not possible to establish any action to block alcohol consumption by teenagers”, while in bars and clubs this is possible, the association also considers.
“ANEBE argues that the development of standards for the operation of bars and clubs, as a means of prevention and promotion of public health, should be developed in an environment of cooperation between political powers and health authorities and associations and movements in the sector , which is why it has already requested a hearing with the Directorate-General for Health to present arguments and contributions that allow safeguarding public health”, reads the statement.
The Portuguese Hotel, Restaurant and Similar Association (AHRESP) has already argued that nightlife establishments, closed since March due to the pandemic, have “all the conditions” to reopen safely, with measures even on dance floors.
“The area of the dance floor should be marked on the floor by means of squares, with 2.25 square metres of area each, that allow to guarantee the physical distance between people”, proposed AHRESP, in the scope of the guide of good practices for the nightlife establishments, handed over to the Government, in order to “contribute to the rapid reopening” of bars and clubs.
Lusa questioned the Ministry of Economy about the expected date for the reopening of nightlife establishments, to which the ministry said that “new information will be released in due time”.
In addition to social distance, AHRESP recommends that all employees and customers wear a protective mask, “an obligation that is waived when, due to the nature of the activities, its use is impractical”.
As a result of a “broad consensus” of the many businessmen who met with AHRESP, the guide to good practices for nightlife establishments includes rules on the capacity of spaces, the control of customer entry, the use of personal protective equipment and the cleaning and disinfecting of the space.
Last week about 130 workers in the nightlife sector protested in Lisbon, in a silent demonstration for the reopening of spaces such as bars and clubs.
The protest culminated in the delivery of a basket of keys from nightlife establishments, in front of the Assembly of the Republic, in Lisbon, for the Government to “manage businesses” such as bars and clubs.
The manifestation “The silence of the night ... in search of respect and answers” was marked through social networks by the movement “The silence of the night”, which arose as a result of the closure, with no forecast of opening, of the night time establishments, determined by the Government due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The spokesman for the group and president of the National Discotheque Association (ADN), José Gouveia, stressed that the demonstration took place in order to see the “end of the government’s silence and for it to start talking about the night time businesses and when they are going to open bars and clubs”.