The Spain Nightlife association has called for an urgent meeting with the Spanish government to discuss the "great concern for the future of the sector". With the government having ordered the closure of nightlife establishments, the association wants Prime Minister Sánchez to find solutions in order to maintain employment, "given the very serious situation that nightlife and entertainment companies are experiencing".
A letter to the prime minister states that businesspeople in the sector have shown commitment and responsibility since the beginning of the pandemic. "We have adopted safety measures and dealt with behaviour that endangers health, but we cannot accept that the sector is put under the spotlight and criminalised."
Spain Nightlife points to there being 25,000 companies in the nightlife sector, which contributes 1.8% of Spain's GDP and creates some 300,000 direct and indirect jobs. Of these, almost 30,000 are self-employed - musicians, singers, dancers, sound engineers and others. An "urgent" rescue plan is therefore needed. Measures have to be taken "immediately", as has been the case in France and Germany.
Among the association's requests are an extension to ERTE beyond the end of September, a twelve-month grace period for mortgages, and tax incentives for continuing business activity.