British tourists have vowed to boycott Spanish holiday hotspots due to new rules impacting their holidays.
Yolanda Díaz, the minister of employment and social economy, has said Spanish bars currently operate on hours that are not “reasonable”.
Speaking to Spain’s Congress last week, Ms Díaz said it was “crazy” to consider extending bar opening hours past 1am.
Holidaymaking Britons, many of whom enjoy staying out into the wee hours while on holiday, have disagreed.
The rules have prompted an argument amongst Britons, many of whom have said they are enough to put them off visiting.
Speaking to GB News, one would-be tourist said they would “boycott” the country as new rules are introduced “every day”.
They said: “There are new regulations every day. This is an awful way to treat tourists in their country. Boycotting Spain.”
Another branded the move a bid by Spanish officials to “cut off their nose”, while a third said they would “spend my money in my own communities”.
Others said they understood the move, given the hours bartenders would have to work in the country.
A commenter said people against the new law would understand if they “had to work those long hours”.
And another person said there was nothing stopping people from getting a drink and meal before 1am.
Arguments have also erupted on the Spanish official level, with local governments having criticised the national initiative.
Jaume Ferriol, the mayor of Maria de la Salut and president of the Felib Federation of town halls, said individual towns should decide bar opening hours on a local level.
He said town halls are “the ones who best know the needs of the restaurant sector” and the potential consequences early morning openings may have.
He added: “The Balearic Islands are not the same as, for example, Castile and León. Each region has its type of economy and its climate.”
