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António Costa granted freedom to the autarchies to, “according to the specific reality of their municipality”, define the closing time of the commercial establishments in their cities, deciding only that it should take place between 20 and 23 hours. In Lisbon and Porto, the mayors opted for the least restrictive hours: establishments in both cities will close at 11 p.m. starting this Tuesday, opening at 10 a.m.
The country is running at a single speed again and joins the Lisbon region, in a state of contingency since the end of July, after the metropolitan area had 19 parishes in a state of calamity. In other words, the regulations are hardened again, taking into account the increase in daily cases, the beginning of the academic year and the expected growth in the number of people in circulation, specifically in public transport, as explained by the resolution of the Council of Ministers that it decreed the state of contingency as of September 15.
In Lisbon the situation is not new, but the hours change slightly again, taking into account the restriction of 11 pm imposed by the Government. In the second half of August, Fernando Medina had chosen to restore “the opening hours practiced before the pandemic for all commercial and service establishments, including those in shopping centers”, after a longer period. restrictive where the closure occurred at 8pm. At that time, restaurants and similar establishments began to admit customers until midnight, having to close until 01:00. Now, they lose an hour and begin to close at 11pm. The rest of the trade maintains the rules already defined: “Lisbon was already in a state of contingency and maintains the schedules already defined,” explained the communication office.
In Porto, where the alert situation prevailed (one level below the contingency situation and two below the calamity) it was decided, after obtaining the “favorable opinion of the local health authority and the security forces”, to set the Limit for Closing at 11 pm, Rui Moreira decreed in an order signed this Monday. The decision took into account the “characteristics of the business and commercial fabric of the city of Porto”, says the document, where the mayor maintains that “an excessive restriction of opening hours” could lead to “situations of potential concentration of people” .
The decision to grant the mayors freedom to set schedules, adopted by the Council of Ministers on September 10, “sins by default”, defends the mayor of Porto, who would like to have the power to decide on “all commercial establishments, including supermarkets “.
The Intermunicipal Community of the West (CIMOeste) also has complaints and asks the Government for greater clarity in the definition of the rules. For the 12 municipalities in this territory, it was not clear whether the resolution of the Council of Ministers allowed the municipalities to also define the opening hours. “As for the opening, if we have that power, we are considering opening the opening hours at 9:00 am,” said Pedro Folgado, president of the Câmara de Alenquer and CIMOeste.
As of this Tuesday, the rest of the business will even open at 10 in the morning (with the exception of pastry shops, cafes, hairdressers and gyms, which can open earlier), defines the document. The sale of alcoholic beverages at gas stations is already prohibited throughout the country and supermarkets and hypermarkets can only do so until 20 hours. The consumption of these drinks in open spaces or on public roads -except for terraces- is not possible either. In all restaurants, cafeterias and pastry shops located within a radius of 300 meters from a school, public or private, there can be groups with a maximum of four people, as well as in areas for the restoration of shopping centers. In the rest, the limit is ten people. With Jorge Talixa
