The Councillor for Beaches, Ramón López, has sent a letter to the Provincial Coastal Service in Alicante to request an exemption from paying the annual 150,000 euro fee for the placement of beach bars on the beaches of Orihuela, in consideration of the situation generated by the Covid-19 health crisis and the consequent declaration of the state of alarm.
The beaches and bathing areas of Orihuela Costa beaches were closed on 13 March, which meant that the chiringuitos have remained closed throughout the year with the parent company, Chiringuitos del Sol, unable to open during the Easter holiday period.
The company also faces a great deal of uncertainty as it looks ahead to the summer season and currently has no idea as to whether it will still be able to develop to date Its business activity.
The Provincial Coastal Service charges the City Council 150,000 euros per year for the occupation of the beaches, and this, in turn, is charged to the company operating the beach bars.
López said that “we believe it necessary to exempt payment of this fee in a very hard year for the Orihuela coast, which, with storms and this pandemic has enabled absolutely no business activity”.
The Beaches Department has also asked the auditing body, ICTE – BUREAU VERITAS, that it maintains the Q certificates and quality marks for Orihuela beaches without the need to carry out audit processes during the 2020 year, in Consideration of the special situation that this health crisis is generating.
The Orihuela beaches that currently have this quality Q Flag from the Institute for Spanish Tourist Quality are Punta Prima, Cala Estaca, Cala Capitán, La Glea and Mil Palmeras.
