The Guardamar del Segura council has permanently closed the long-running El Fogón Sunday market, located alongside the N-332 opposite the Santa Ana industrial estate, after discovering it had been operating for three decades without a municipal licence.
Local Police sealed the site after the company behind the market ignored an earlier closure order issued by the council.
Mayor José Luis Sáez confirmed that the local authority has been trying “for many years” to get the operators to legalise their situation. “We’ve repeatedly asked for the necessary paperwork to regularise the market, but there has been no way to achieve it,” he told the Spanish press.
Although the company submitted some documents, these were deemed incomplete and insufficient to issue a trading licence. After all legal deadlines had passed, the council ordered the closure two months ago.
While the operators initially complied, they later reopened, presenting new documentation that municipal technicians ruled could not be accepted because the case had already been concluded.
Police officers have since sealed the 20,000-square-metre site, which hosted dozens of stalls each Sunday. On Saturday, most of the stalls had already been dismantled, although several restaurants within the complex were still preparing to open for the weekend.
Legal Action Still Possible
Mayor Sáez explained that the company can still appeal through the courts and request measures to suspend the closure order. However, as of this week, “no such request has been filed,” he said.
A Popular but Problematic Attraction
For years, the El Fogón market has been one of the Vega Baja’s most popular Sunday destinations, known for its mix of antiques, second-hand goods, tools, and discount items. However, it has also been at the centre of several controversies — with police sources noting past incidents involving goods of “unclear origin.”
The market’s success often led to heavy congestion on the N-332, with cars parked along the roadside and constant pedestrian crossings. Traffic problems eased only after a new roundabout was built to serve residential and commercial developments in the area.
Land Classification Prevented Legalisation
Sáez said the main obstacle to legalising the market is the land’s current classification as developable — meaning it is reserved for future urban development and cannot be used for this type of commercial activity.
“The landowner, who is also responsible for the market, was advised to explore the option of a temporary licence, but that would have required an agreement with the area’s development agent,” the mayor explained.
The affected area, known as Sector Z0-Oliverón, includes plans for over 2,300 new homes and more than 500,000 square metres of mixed-use land, combining residential and commercial zones close to the Moncayo pine forest and the restricted military area.
Part of a Broader Crackdown
Mayor Sáez stressed that this closure is part of a wider campaign to regularise all economic activities operating without proper authorisation. “Since taking office ten years ago, our goal has been to ensure every business complies with local and regional regulations,” he said.
He pointed to previous enforcement actions, such as the closure of the Moncayo market last year and ongoing legal proceedings against the Campo de Guardamar market, which remains open under precautionary court measures while its special urban plan is reviewed.
Other businesses, such as a major feed factory near the CV-905, have successfully regularised their activities by fulfilling municipal requirements — in that case, building a new roundabout as part of the deal.
According to Mayor Sáez, “The council has been consistent with all businesses that are not properly licensed.”
