Stricter rules put Portugal’s restaurants in tough spot

Lisbon's restaurant owners, already struggling to survive without the usual hordes of summer tourists, expressed consternation at a new measure implemented on Saturday requiring tests or a vaccination certificate to sit indoors.

"I think it's a positive measure if a lot more certificates are made available to clients," said Manuel Jorge Alves, 48, owner of a traditional Portuguese restaurant in a street not far from Lisbon's riverfront.

"But for the moment it's about 2 million Portuguese ... that's one in five. And we've not had demand from tourists, because there have been restrictions on travel. This area is dependent on tourism."