The summer sales have started with the Marbella town centre traders on the warpath. The group is indignant at the new street market that has been set up on the seafront promenade, near the old Skol hotel. The market, which consists of a row of wooden stalls, was originally due to be located at the end of the Avenida del Mar, near the Mediterráneo building. When the news was announced, a group of small traders went to the Town Hall and held a meeting with the Mayor, Marisol Yagüe, to explain the damage that this type of summer market does to traditional shops. The traders maintain that the Mayor gave them her word that the market would not open.
Then the Town Hall came across another problem: the agreement the Deputy Mayor Victoriano Rodríguez had already made with the company with the rights to the market. And so, after several days of negotiation the local authority came up with what it hoped was a compromise to suit all sides: the market would be given permission to open, but it would be moved further away from the old town in an attempt to reduce the negative affect on local commerce. Last week workers were busy setting up the wooden stalls on the seafront.
Municipal sources have pointed out that, although they want to protect the interest of shopkeepers in the old town, they are also obliged by law to defend free trade.
But neither the compromise nor its explanation has been accepted as the Town Hall had hoped. Around 260 shopkeepers from Marbella town centre have taken part in a survey which clearly reflects their opposition to the temporary market due to be open throughout the summer. On June 25th the Mayor received the results of the survey but the traders have received no further reply from the authority.
The first question asked referred to whether they were in favour of the market’s position in Avenida del Mar. A total of 247 said no, 96 per cent of the traders interviewed. The second question asked whether they thought it was a good idea to give permission for more street markets in Marbella and 93 per cent said no.
On the subject of whether they would agree to a change in location in exchange for compensation, 88 per cent said they would not negotiate and stuck to their request for the market to be moved out of Marbella.
The compensation proposed by Marbella Town Hall was a promotional campaign for town centre businesses in the municipal newspaper, and on the radio and television.
Problems with central market building
M. PeriáñEZ
The PSOE has reported serious faults with the Marbella central market building and the fact that agreements between the stallholders and the Mayor are not being respected. José Bernal said that the stallholders are having “to survive in a market building that has been abandoned by the council which has been promoting large shopping centres instead”. He stressed that the Town Hall promised to solve the problems before a certain date but this date has come and gone and the only demand met has been to install litter bins.
(source: Sur in English)
