“The Association will propose to proceed with the opening of discotheques according to the conditions that each one offers, that is, opening during the pandemic period can only happen with an opinion from the Directorate-General for Health (DGS), which will have to be prepared after an on-site visit to the establishments that have formalised an order ”, explained António Fonseca to the Lusa agency.

Bars and clubs have been closed in Portugal since March due to the covid-19 pandemic, but since 1 August, they have been able to start functioning as cafes and pastry shops

In a press conference on 30 July, and after the weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers in Lisbon, the Minister of State and the Presidency, Mariana Vieira da Silva, explained that in the context of the “more controlled country's epidemiological situation”, it was determined “the possibility for establishments that are bars in their origin to function as pastry shops and cafes, following the same distance rules that these institutions have”.

The minister clarified that the bars and clubs that opted for the reopening would have the possibility to operate until 8 pm in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area and until 1 am (with entry limit at midnight) in the rest of the continental territory.