British tourists will be ‘roasted’ as Spain passes strict air con rules ‘Makes no sense!’

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Spain’s tourism chief has revealed new energy-saving measures which will see air conditioning banned from being set lower than 27C in the summer. That means any Brits hoping to enjoy their lunch in a cool restaurant will find no respite from the heat in one of the hottest European countries. 

Alongside changes to the minimum aircon temperature, the country has also approved a new set of rules that will see heating not be allowed above 19C in the winter. 

The measures apply to communal spaces such as offices, shops, bars and restaurants, as well as public transport systems and transport centres. 

Stores will also be required to keep their doors shut to maintain temperatures.

To add to this, lights will have to go off on shop fronts and empty government offices from 10pm. 

Spain, however, is currently experiencing a very hot summer, with temperatures recorded above 40C in many areas. 

These new rules are part of Spain’s drive to cut its gas use by seven percent under a recent European Union deal to reduce dependency on Russian gas.

The president of Costa del Sol’s tourism board has criticised the new measures.

“We want satisfied tourists, not roasted tourists or those who are afraid to walk the dark streets,” Francisco Salado said. 

He has asked the government “to spend mental energy on more effective measures”.

“It is as if this decree had been written by a martian, someone who is deeply ignorant of our country and who has not consulted with anyone,” he added. 

Francisco also said it “makes no sense” to force hotels restaurants, bars, museums, cinemas, shops, train and bus stations, and airports to raise their thermostat in summer to 27 degrees “precisely in the middle of a heat wave”.

Brits needn’t worry about a hot and restless night’s sleep though, as hotel rooms can remain chilled because they are considered “private spaces”. 

Schools, hospitals, hairdressers and public transport are also exempt, but all other public areas will have to abide by new laws.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the new rules last week and said: “You just need to walk into a shopping mall to realize that maybe the temperature is set too low.”

While the rules are not set in law for Spanish households, it has been advised that residents follow it as general advice.

The government are hoping the new rules will not only save energy but will also bring down bills for households and businesses.

The rules will come into place on the week beginning 7 August, and will last until November 2023.

It comes as temperatures across the country have reached into the 40s, with weather experts stating that July 2022 was the second-hottest month on record since 1950.

And some businesses have cited this as a reason against the new rules. 

Antonio Luque, president of the Seville Hospitality Association, said: “We had a very complicated July with temperatures of 40C in the shade. Having to keep premises at 27C will mean customers being uncomfortable.

“We hope we will be able to persuade the government to make changes and let the regions with the highest temperatures set cooling systems a bit lower because Seville is not the same as Galicia where the climate is very different,” The Mirror reported. 

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