Cala Bosque beach, in La Zenia, was the venue for a demonstration on Tuesday by Residents of Orihuela Costa who came together to demand that the Municipal Council restores the beach services that they have been without for the whole of 2023.
The Councillor for Beaches, Antonio Sánchez, took the irrational decision last year to terminate the Beach Bar contract operated by Chiringuito’s del Sol, as a result of which the beach bar services, including toilets, sun beds, umbrellas, were lost to the 30,000 residents that live on the coast.
The New Year brought absolutely no movement on the new tender with the councillor also failing to deliver on the provision of toilets, which he had promised would be restored in the January Plenary meeting.
Residents are now concerned that the beach bars, and associated services, will not be reinstated in time for the summer holiday season, which could result in the loss of the Orihuela Costa’s 11 blue flags.
Organisers of the demonstration, which included local resident’s association AVCRL, said that it is a disgrace that the Municipal Council did not plan the new tender well in advance, and they wonder why, in the meantime, they would not allow Chiringuitos del Sol to carry out its activity until the new contract was formalised.
A spokesman said, “this situation has not only caused negative consequences for tourism and for 30,000 local residents, but also for the economy, as the municipality has failed to collect almost one million euros, corresponding to the payment that would have been made. Neither must we forget the beach bar staff who suddenly found themselves out of work, and with no way of supporting their families, or the many thousands of tourists who descended on the coast over the long Easter period and found the beaches without services.”
“Is this really the image that the Orihuela Council wants to project to encourage tourism in our municipality and is the loss of the 11 blue flags a chance they are willing to take.”?
AVCLR has also registered a question in plenary this Thursday, to be answered by the Councillor for Beaches, about his proposals to ensure continuation of the certification of the blue flags, “since without the seasonal services they will be impossible to achieve,” they warn.
Also in attendance at the demonstration were employees of Chiringuitos del Sol, the company that previously provided the service.
“Beaches without services, families without work” was just one of the messages that could be read on the banners of the protesters, who also criticised the dirt on the beaches.
Images courtesy AVCLR
