Orihuela City Council is preparing a new application process to fill vacant stalls at weekly markets across the municipality.
The Markets Department hopes to attract new traders, increase the range of products available and reverse a decline in stallholders at some locations.
Markets councillor Noelia Grao said the new round would be broader than previous schemes, offering vacant pitches at markets in Orihuela and its surrounding villages.
“We are aware that the number of sellers attending some weekly markets has fallen in recent years,” Grao said. “We are therefore working to make it easier for new traders to join and to fill the available pitches.”
She described the markets as more than simply places to shop, saying they are longstanding community meeting points that bring regular commercial activity to neighbourhoods and villages.
The council previously offered vacant stalls across the municipality in 2024. However, some remained unfilled because applicants either failed to meet the conditions or did not submit the required documentation.
Successful traders must register with the Social Security and tax authorities and hold appropriate public liability insurance. These are mandatory requirements for anyone legally conducting commercial activity.
The council is encouraging established market traders and people considering starting a mobile retail business to apply. It also hopes existing traders will consider expanding into additional markets.
Weekly markets are particularly important in Orihuela’s outlying villages, where they provide convenient access to goods, support local commerce and complement permanent shops.
Once the administrative preparations are complete, the council will publish details of the participating markets, available pitches, application requirements and deadlines.
Grao said the objective was to protect and strengthen a tradition forming part of Orihuela’s identity.
“Our markets have a future if we work together to keep them attractive, varied and full of activity,” she said.
