Madrid – Preparing the reopening of terraces

The city council of Madrid is working on conditions to reopen the 5,323 terraces in the Spanish capital as soon as phase 1 of the de-escalation of the corona lockdown allows it. The aim is to make regulations more flexible and to harmonise the interests of hoteliers, shopkeepers and neighbours. The Hotel and Catering Terraces Committee has proposed a set of criteria that will enable the authorised areas to be extended, meeting a triple objective: not eroding the interests of other sectors, not interfering with the movement of pedestrians and at the same time complying with the regulations on universal accessibility. You can read more here (in Spanish)

Contact: Ana Buñuel

Edinburgh – Triple shelter partnership

10,000 bed spaces to 730 unique individuals over the last 200 nights” is the outcome reached together by Edinburgh’s city council and Bethany Christian Trust. The volunteers and the Council staff receive now help from the Old Waverley Hotel, where they can have temporary accomodation while receiving support and advices. The hotel is also offering three meals a day for those in need thanks to many anonymous volunteers. Read more here

Contact: Karen Lloyd

Madrid – Hotel for homeless with mild symptoms

Madrid city council, together with the regional government and the Red Cross, has arranged a hotel for 120 homeless people with mild coronavirus symptoms. Health professionals are monitoring their health. Rooms are equipped with tablets so that patients can reach the support team of social workers, psychologist and doctors. The initiative is part of the Homeless Emergency Plan of the city council. Read more here (in Spanish)

Contact: Ana Buñuel

Brussels – Hotels for migrants

Two hotels in Brussels with a combined capacity of 220 spaces have been hosting migrants who do not have access to official or associative housing services. This was an initiative of the regional authorities in Brussels in an effort to help migrants during the coronavirus pandemic. Read more here

Contact: Geert de Roep and Antoine Umbrain

Budapest – A message 4U

Foto: Tamás Lénárd

Lights from empty hotel rooms which form the message “4U!” – with this, the city of Budapest every night sends a sign of solidarity to other cities that are similarly affected by the corona crisis. The campaign from the Municipality of Budapest and the Hungarian Hotel and Restaurant Association aims to draw attention to the fact that cities and residents can only survive and overcome this crisis together and by looking out for each other and acting in a tolerant and empathetic way. The light and the attention people give each other gives hope and strength to many in this difficult time. Read more here

Contact: Adrienn Magyar

Ljubljana – Free facilities for quarantine

The public institution Šport Ljubljana has offered its Šport hotel at the Gymnastic Centre in Ljubljana to the Slovenian government free of charge for the needs of quarantining Slovenian citizens returning from abroad. The hotel has a capacity of 15 rooms with a total of 38 beds. Following the example of the Ljubljana Castle, which offered its Hostel Celica to the University Medical Centre for the accommodation of its staff, this second public institution has shown solidarity to all hit by the coronavirus epidemic.

Room in Šport hotel Ljubljana. Photo: Šport Ljubljana

Contact: Polona Novak

Nice – Over thousand meals a day for the homeless

Homeless people are housed in different locations in the French city of Nice, from night shelters and schools to hotels and youth hostels. In all places, meals are offered. The central kitchen of the city of Nice provides meals for people staying in hotels. Between 1,000 and 1,400 meals or picnics are distributed per day. Read more here (in French)

Contact: Jérôme Sieurin