Madrid Bar And Restaurants Call For Help As COVID Crisis Hits

“We are not earning any money at the business but we are still paying (taxes). We can only survive for a short time, maybe two or three months, I don’t think we could last longer,” said Jose Manuel del Moral, who works at his husband’s drinks bar “Zarpa” in Madrid.

The government has rolled out plans to help businesses but has so far ruled out a cut to value added tax.

Spain, which before the pandemic had the highest density of bars in the world with one for every 175 residents, according to a study by Nielsen consultancy, has been hit especially hard by the coronavirus and on Monday became the first Western European country to pass 500,000 cases.

Its economy shrank a record 18.5% in April-June, the sharpest drop among European Union member states.