Pandemic spoils party for Ibiza's legendary nightlife

Without its thousands of party-goers, the Hi Ibiza mega club is just a large, silent, empty hangar, as the Spanish island's iconic nightclubs remain shut due to the pandemic.    

To curb the spread of coronavirus cases, the regional government of the Balearic Islands has only allowed clubs with a capacity of 300 or less to open - and only for drinking.

There can be no dance floor and revellers must remain seated.    

As a result the island's famous mega clubs, which draw big name international DJs and have made the Mediterranean island a global clubbing capital, will stay closed this season.    

Even without the restrictions, nightclub operators say the social distancing needed to prevent infections would make it impossible to stage the wild parties they are famous for.    

"When we shout, saliva can go as far as two metres. Who can keep distances inside a nightclub?" said Jose Luis Benitez, the head of the Ibiza Leisure Association, which represents the nightlife sector in Ibiza, one of the Balearic Islands.    

Before the regulations were announced, club owners had floated a variety of measures to deal with the pandemic. On Majorca, the largest island in the archipelago, an association of nightlife venues had planned to mark spots on the floor that people should stick to when dancing, Benitez said.    

"But what do you do if you are interested in meeting someone?" he added.            

The impact of the club closures will be huge since Ibiza's nightlife sector accounts for "over 35 percent" of its economic output according to Benitez.    

Club owners have resigned themselves to the loss of the season since they do not want to take chances and risk being blamed for any outbreak.  

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