The Majorca Restaurants Association is discussing the setting of protocols that will allow bars and restaurants to open with a form of health certification. The discussions are being held with the Chamber of Commerce, whose president, Antoni Mercant, says that this is a positive step as, at present, there are no protocols for when the confinement is lifted.
Mercant explains that the idea is for a Covid-19 certificate of quality, for which full guarantees will be needed for employees and customers. The Chamber of Commerce is the body in Majorca which is qualified to issue such certificates. A specialist consultancy, Mercant adds, would be placed in charge of mandatory courses and of verification that standards are being applied. The Chamber would issue the certificates to bars and restaurants that come under the Confederation of Balearic Business Associations (which is the Majorca Restaurants Association) and the Pimem small to medium-sized businesses federation, which has its own restaurants division.
The certificate would be displayed in a prominent position so that customers would be able to see that the establishment is applying all necessary preventive measures.
Eugenia Cusí, president of the Pimem restaurants division, has expressed her concern at the lack of post-Covid protocols. She says that establishing all manner of health control procedures for bars and restaurants will only be of so much use if it is not known if customers are infected or not. "This is why we are advocating mass diagnostic testing." She adds that "there is no Plan B for tourism, but we must act in order to maintain business activity".
Meanwhile, the Majorca Restaurants Association, which has been at loggerheads with Palma town hall over the situation with terraces, has welcomed the announcement that the town hall is willing to increase the number of terraces and their size. The councillor for citizen participation, Alberto Jarabo, said on Friday that the town hall is considering this, as it would be a measure for bar and restaurant safety.
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Do some idiots sat in disease free offices at City Hall not appreciate what this Covid-19 is all about? No doubt if something like this bird brained idea comes to pass, then hidden in the small print, there will some mention of another tax...…….
I think the restaurants need to be looking towards customers proving they are virus free before serving. The small restaurant bar has suffered enough without having to have mandatory certification, also a restaurant/bar is for socialising, how can you socialise 6 feet apart, I know the Malloquien talks loudly, but that is surely stretching it a bit? 😀 Ideas are needed that are acceptable to both parties, owner/client. So please do not make rules you will later cause regret.
At last a sensible voice Eugenia, mass testing is the only way you gets bums on seats in restaurants.