Europe: ”Portugal’s nightclubs and bars allowed to reopen, but without dancefloors”

LISBON – Clubbers in Portugal eager to shake off the coronavirus blues will have to wait a little longer to dance the night away, as nightclubs were given the green light to reopen from Saturday but with early closing and no dancefloors allowed.

The Portuguese government announced on Thursday that bars and nightclubs can reopen if they wish, but following the same rules applied to coffee shops and bakeries. They will have to shut by 8 pm in Lisbon and 1 am elsewhere in the country.

Nightclubs, which were forced to close doors in March when a lockdown to fight the coronavirus was imposed, can use the dancefloor space for tables where people can hang out and grab a bite – as long as social distancing is respected.