CURFEWS in 68 Valencian Community municipalities have been ended by Valencian president, Ximo Puig.
Current rules to stop the spread of COVID-19 expire at 11.59 pm today(September 6).
They have been replaced by a looser set of measures, as infection rates and hospital admissions tumble.
Speaking this afternoon, Ximo Puig said: “Today begins the safe, progressive, and gradual reopening towards normality in the Valencian Community.”
The Valencian leader added that ‘81% of the population had been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus’.
The scrapping of local curfews comes with the news that nightlife businesses will be able to open until 3.00 am, with last service at 2.30 am.
They, like hospitality, have been forced to close at 12.30 am.
They will also be able to operate at 50% indoor capacity but dancing remains prohibited.
Perhaps surprisingly, bars and restaurants will still have to shut at 12.30 am with final service 30 minutes earlier.
Hospitality and nightlife traders will have their indoor table limits raised from six to eight people.
The ten-person outdoor table limit is maintained.
The limitation of people at social gatherings is dropped.
For entertainment venues, there will be a 1,500 indoor capacity limit, doubling to 3,000 outdoors.
For sports events, stadiums can operate at 60% capacity up to a maximum of 20,000.
Indoor venues have a 40% capacity limit with a limit of 4,000 spectators.
The new rules will run until September 27 when all of the measures will be reviewed.
The plan is to extend opening hours and capacities further from September 27, depending on COVID infection rates, with the aim of hitting ‘normality’ by Valencia Day, October 9.