Spanish restaurants can now charge tourists extra if they sit in the shade, officials confirm

Spain has introduced a controversial new law that makes it legal for restaurant owners to charge a premium for diners sitting in the shade in one of the country’s hottest provinces.

The Junta de Andalucia in the country’s arid south has ruled that venues can charge different prices for tables depending on whether they are in the sun or shade, under certain conditions.

Ruben Sanchez, spokesperson for consumer association Facua, said restaurants cannot charge “10 euros more” for a patio table, reports said. The Olive Press.

But hospitality businesses will be able to charge more for dishes served outside, as long as customers are clearly warned of the extra costs.

Restaurants and bars will still no longer be able to charge for a specific view, and could face ‘reports and penalties’ if they flout the rules.

Under the new rules, any price changes must be made ‘clear and visible’.

Verbally notifying a customer of additional charges would not be enough to comply with the new terms – and owners could be fined if they get it wrong.

According to Mr Sanchez, the new rules will also ensure that customers are not obliged to pay for bottled water, as tap water must be available.

Andalusia, the south of Spain, regularly records sweltering temperatures throughout the region.

In 2021, the city of Cordoba recorded a record high of 47.6 degrees Celsius.

The changes come amid a push for new laws that will change habits and protect the rights of workers in Spain’s key hospitality sector.

Earlier this month, Spanish politicians proposed controversial new rules that could lead to Spanish bars and restaurants closing early, a move aimed at better ‘structuring’ Spanish society.

Yolanda Díaz, the country’s Minister of Employment and Social Economy, told the Spanish Congress: ‘A country where its restaurants open at one in the morning is not reasonable.

“It’s crazy to try to extend hours until I don’t know what time anymore.”

It comes amid a broader bid by Díaz’s party, Movimiento Sumar, to introduce new protections for workers in the tourism and hospitality sectors, by imposing restrictions on working hours, shorter opening hours and earlier closures.

But the move has drawn criticism from owners and politicians who argue that extended opening hours are an essential part of what punters have come to expect – and what venues rely on to survive.

Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the president of the Community of Madrid, responded to a video of Díaz’s speech on X, formerly Twitter: ‘Spain has the best nightlife in the world, with streets full of life and freedom. And that also creates employment.

‘They want us puritans, materialists, socialists, without souls, without light and without restaurants because they feel like it. Bored and at home.’

Madrid’s tourist office next shared that the number of international tourists to Madrid increased by 17.5 percent in January, generating over a billion euros in expenditure.

‘So the region records the best data in the entire historical series when it comes to expenditure and the second on arrivals in January.’

Last year, Spain also explicitly introduced a list of new prohibitions for travelers wanting to visit the country.

This included proving that you had enough money to support the entire trip – if you were from outside the European Union.

File photo shows an open-air tapas restaurant with parasols in Barcelona, ​​Catalonia

Smoking was also banned on a number of beaches, following policies introduced in Barcelona in 2022.

Offenders in affected communities could be fined if caught with a cigarette near the sea.

Drink limits were also introduced at all-inclusive hotels in notorious tourist hotspots Magaluf, El Arenal, Playa de Palma in Mallorca and Sant Antoni in Ibiza, in a bid to tackle reckless drunken behaviour.

In 2022, the Balearic island of Mallorca also introduced a dress code, banning strapless tank tops, swimsuits, football kits and accessories bought from street vendors (such as gold chains and glow-in-the-dark hats) in bars and shops. restaurants.

Hotspots such as Barcelona and Alicante also introduced new noise laws, threatening fines of up to 300,000 euros for disrupting the atmosphere.