Drinking Shock as a Third of Spain’s Murcia Bars are Predicted to Go Out of Business

A third of bars are predicted to close for good in Spain’s Murcia region due to the State of Alarm restrictions brought on by the pandemic.

THE president of regional hospitality association, Hostemur, has made the gloomy forecast on the back of a report from the Bank of Spain suggesting that hospitality sector workers are going to make up a large part of the country’s increase in unemployment.

José María Rubiales from Hostemur says that restrictions on bar space along with no foreign tourism will spell devastation for his members.

Before the coronavirus crisis, the Murcia region hospitality trade directly and indirectly employed around 45,000 people, which based on the Hostemur projection, will mean around 15,000 job losses.

The Bank of Spain report effectively confirms the worrying fears of Hostemur.

The association say that even with an increase to 50 per cent terrace capacity, it will simply not be enough to make up all the losses that businesses have suffered in addition to reducing current revenue streams.

Just as worrying in the report is the view that younger and female workers will suffer the most having been on temporary contracts, and with little other work experience except for bars and restaurants, they will find it very difficult to get employment elsewhere.

It calls for special training courses to be set up to teach new skills to people who would otherwise a prolonged period out of work.