Brit clubbers heading to Spain this summer will have to wear masks and dance in their own squares to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
DJs will also be confined to their own personal booths, all coats and jackets will have to be hung up in protective covers, no cash will change hands and DJs will have their own personal space.
The new rules are being proposed by Nightlife Spain, the National Association of Entrepreneurs of Leisure and Shows and are to be adopted by the Spanish government in the next few days.
The group’s president, Ramon Mas Espinalt says it is going to be vital for nightclubs and discos across Spain and its holiday island to follow the rules to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Nightlife venues will gradually start to open during June, depending on what stage of the COVID-19 de-escalation period they are in.
Mr Espinalt says it is essential they are ready and to give confidence to the millions of clubbers who flocked to party hotspots every year.
As with hotels, clubs and discos will face extensive hygiene and cleaning rules the likes of which have never be seen before.
This will include constant disinfecting of everything inside and outside the terraces.
Guest will start to follow the regulations from the moment they arrive on the terraces.
Doormen will control entry which will be done on a traffic light system.
They are being advised to wear masks if social distancing can’t be guaranteed but everyone will be recommended to keep two metres apart.
On the dance floor, this will be done by marking out squares like a chessboard where people will have their own dance zones, a very different picture to the old clubbing system where huge crowds congregate together in front of the stage and DJ.
The main message is to be “prudence and respect”.
“We have to count on people’s sense of responsibility,” said a Nightlife spokesman.
Nightlife Spain will be carrying out different pilot tests and trials in real environments so clubs can open, mostly in phase three which some parts of Spain have already reached.
There are doubts about whether clubs and discos will open in Ibiza at this stage as the Balearic government says “we are not quite ready”.
Guests will be asked to pay entrance fees and drinks electronically and use ecological straws to avoid any possible spread of coronavirus on glasses which will in any event have to be regularly washed and sterilised.
Reserved areas and VIP boxes will be strongly promoted to guarantee the distance between groups of people.
Use of the toilets will be strictly controlled and there will be hand gel and reminder posters everywhere.
They will need to be cleaned six times a day and any breaches will lead to formal reminders and possible closure.
There will also be very strict controls on temperature in the clubs and air conditioning.
Every time a club or disco opens, it will need to be completely disinfected and then throughout the day and night, with staff keeping detailed records.
Furniture will have to be arranged at specific distances and the DJs must not let anyone near or into their booths.
Any entertainers or dancers will also have to abide by strict rules, including immediately changing their costumes and putting them into special bags and doing all their hair and make-up themselves.
Nightlife Spain says hugs, welcome kisses and handshakes are definitely banned and staff will need to wear protective clothing including masks.
Bars are likely to have glass panels as a shield from customers.
Mr Espinalt says clubs and discos will face a major challenge in this unprecedented era but he is confident Spain’s nightlife, an “icon” of the country, will succeed and emerge even stronger than before.
