Neither the COVID-19 pandemic nor Greek government regulations can stop one venue in Thessaloniki from hosting its weekly summer bouzoukia concerts.
After Greece set a new coronavirus record on Wednesday, with 262 new cases and two deaths, health authorities announced new emergency measures on bars, restaurants and nightclubs.
Coming into effect on Tuesday and applying until August 23, all bars and nightclubs must be closed between midnight and 7am in popular tourist areas such as Greece’s second-largest city, Thessaloniki.
For popular concert hall, Orama – The Music Show, this restriction provided an instant dilemma as peak hours begin well after midnight and last until sunrise.
But luckily they came up with a clever solution.
Instead of closing entirely, the owners decided to change their opening hours, effectively squeezing in the same concert before midnight closures take effect.
The entertainment center made its announcement in a post on Instagram. The text reads as follows:
“With respect to the decisions of the government and the authorities and in light of the wishes of our patrons, we’re announcing that for the performances of August 14-15 and 21-22 the doors will open at 7:30pm,” the post reads.
“It is worth noting that on Saturday, August 8, the center was thoroughly inspected by the authorities and was rewarded for its formality! The distances observed were much longer than the [government] protection measures call for, thus showing the seriousness with which our business is addressing the situation.
“In addition, it should be noted that a few hours before the operation of the store, all employees will be evaluated with the COVID-19 test.”
