Hoteliers open half a thousand terraces in Valencia due to anti-covid regulations

The pandemic has triggered the number of bar terraces in Valencia, as revealed yesterday by the Councillor for Public Space, Lucia Beamud. The 594 authorizations granted since the beginning of the health crisis has raised the total number in the city to 3,866 establishments that have tables and chairs in the street. In addition, permission has been granted to extend the space of 466 that were already open.

Beamud reviewed the consequences in the Covid-19 sector in relation to the terraces. In addition to the 594 new ones, the space has been expanded by another 466, so that the number of tables and chairs is kept within the minimum distance. The latter will be provisional until the decrees approved by the pandemic are repealed and then they will have to return to the previous permit, even those that are now on the road.

The City Council has reinforced inspections in eight large hotel areas, in order to demand compliance with these measures and to calm down neighbourhood complaints. Thus, a dozen sanctions have been processed in 55% of the premises in these areas, while the rest will be done in the next three months. This work is being done in the neighbourhood of El Carmen, the Plaza de Honduras, the Plaza del Cedro, the area of Juan Llorens, the area of Menéndez y Pelayo, Ruzafa, the Plaza de Xúquer and the promenade and its immediate surroundings. In most cases, the fines are due to the fact that the space occupied exceeds what is permitted. “The vast majority comply with the rules,” said the mayor.

The Consistory suspended the collection of fees in March and will do the same next year, according to the pact signed between Compromís, the PSPV and Ciudadanos. The collection would be around three million euros. Beamud also alluded to the reasons for the reduction of terraces in the Plaza de la Virgen, which was criticized by the hoteliers affected, by indicating that the tables and chairs must be at least three meters away from the protected buildings, which was not the case with the Casa Vestuario. He also stressed that the accessibility regulations require a minimum passage of 1.80 metres for passers-by.

As for the future rearrangement of terraces in the Plaza de la Reina, this will be done after the pedestrianisation works, which have not yet started and will last at least a year. With regard to future inspections, he pointed out that priority has been given to the Carmen and Ruzafa districts in order to comply with the Ciutat Vella Plan and the threat of a declaration of an acoustically saturated area in the case of the second district, in addition to several neighbourhood claims led by the Russafa Descansa platform.

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