The measures adopted by the Ibizan councils during 2020 to allow an extension of the terraces of bars and restaurants will continue during the 2021 season. Although a priori it was an exceptional decision to allow businesses to comply with the directives on safe distances and separation between tables, the persistence of capacity restrictions inside the premises and the harshness of this past winter, in which many businesses have been forced to close their doors for months, has led most councils of the island to extend the lax measures regarding the location and surface areas of the terraces for another year.
As of today, bars and restaurants maintain a limitation of 50% capacity indoors, with a maximum of six people per table. Drinking is not allowed in bars and groups are limited to a maximum of two people with a distance between groups of one and a half metres. This indoor limitation inevitably results in an agglomeration of customers on terraces.
Permits and controls
In the city of Ibiza, the City Council has confirmed that the permit for the extension of terraces that was exceptionally granted last year will be maintained throughout this year. However, in response to complaints received from residents who have reported that some businesses have invaded the space set aside for pedestrians and are blocking the path of passers-by, the Consistorio guarantees that “they will be very demanding and will control and sanction anyone who exceeds the limits of the space they have been given”.
It will also keep the permission to occupy blue zone spaces to those businesses that requested it at that time and continue to use them, although no more licenses of this kind will be provided. They argue from the City Council that this initiative was taken when the bars could not open the interiors, and is designed for premises located in streets with narrow sidewalks and without the possibility of creating a terrace.
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