Those in charge of what is to be the first cultural space to reopen, are concerned that it may be too early to relax health care and social distancing orders.

Not yet.  Spanish bookstores don’t want to be the exception, like Italy this week, to open. Since the government in Italy ordered the opening of bookstores, considering them a priority need, the industry in Spain considered making the same demands from the Spanish government.  And the answer has been overwhelming:  NO.  In all probability bookstores will be the first social spaces to be opened.  Even before museums, theaters and movies. 

According to the guilds, it is still early and there are no health, legal or economic guarantees to warrant this early opening.  They can not remember ever agreeing to a decision so unanimously. The City Council of Madrid sent out feelers to the sector on Monday to study the possibility of pushing the opening of bookstores before the end of the pandemic guidelines.  The bookstore owners debated the issue on Tuesday and without reservations, on a local and national level, their answer was no.  Pablo Bonet, Secretary of the Madrid guild, and a member of the board of directors of the Confederación Española de Gremios y Asociaciones del Libro (Cegal), (Spanish Alliance of  Book Guilds and Associations), explained it: “We have to be aware of the well-being of our employees and customers.  We do not see the need if there is no health protocol.  Why open if people are still confined in their homes? 

It will be suicide.  And many have joined the ERTE (temporary employment regulations).  Would we lose those benefits?

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