Shut That Door!

Now, here's a potential little treat, courtesy of the Spanish Government. Once again, thanks to Ben for giving me the heads up on what, this time, might just have some important ramifications for bars and shops. I say might because, as ever with some law in Spain or Mallorca, things are not exactly transparent. Maybe they are just not reported well, or maybe no-one really knows. Anyway, to cut to the chase.

As part of its broader law on a "sustainable economy", the cabinet agreed a measure at the end of last week that would impose certain temperature and humidity requirements on establishments such as bars. Moreover, this measure would also mean that doors which open on to the street (and presumably also a terrace) cannot be left open. This would require the installation of automatic doors that open and shut as customers and staff pass through. The point of this would be to maintain mandatory temperatures inside, and these are - no higher than 21 degrees in winter and no lower than 26 degrees in summer.

Firstly, just read those temperatures again. The winter one seems ok, but the summer one? 26 is 79 in old money. That is fairly warm. Clearly, this all seems designed to cut back on air-conditioning use. While this measure would not make AC units obsolete, the investment that may have gone into them would now be open to question. And what is meant by summer? If the temperature inside is below the 26 degrees - naturally - in, say, May, do they have to crank the heating up? There are also any number of bars and restaurants that make a virtue of air-conditioning as part of their publicity. Not at 26 degrees they won't be.

The confusion about what this all might mean is not helped by different references in reports. There is one suggestion that it may only apply in certain instances - administrative centres and cultural venues have been mentioned - but "El País", for example, refers to the splendidly vague concept of "public spaces", which can be interpreted as meaning anything and anywhere. There is also the reference to opening onto a street, so does this include terraces or doesn't it?

If one assumes that this is intended to apply across the board, terraces, streets, whatever, you can begin to imagine the implications. Surely the government does not plan to have every single bar operating automatic doors. Or does it? Bars have enough on their plate without having to fork out for such systems. And then there is the ambience angle, ironically, as the measure is all designed to control ambient temperatures. Bars, restaurants, shops want their doors open. It shows that they - the bars - are open and that the interior and exterior are seamless.

Just think about the practicalities. Imagine a bar packed with sweaty boozers during a big football match. Doors closed, the temperature at least 26. They've got to be kidding. Maybe they really don't mean every bar and in every situation, but you can't be sure they don't, and you can't be sure that, in the pursuit of saving the planet and meeting a 20% target of reduced carbon emissions, they don't intend it. But one has got used to legislation which is not as it may seem. The definition of evenings and noise in Mallorca, that law from the summer; well that seemed to mean one thing and then they said it didn't, or more likely someone realised it was absurd and so they quietly put it to one side.

This measure does not yet have royal assent, but that's a formality. As to when it might be implemented, don't know. But if it is as broadly based as it might be, then I think you will be hearing quite a bit more about it.


QUIZ
Yesterday's title - Madness, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VahMbHOBwu0. Today's title - oh go on then, whose catchphrase was this?

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