Holy week is now behind us, and despite assurances from the council earlier in the year the 11 Orihuela Costa beaches have been without their popular chirunguitos, while the other services such as walkways and toilets were provided with days to spare.
The beach bar contract, which includes umbrellas and sunbeds, expired in January of last year. The PP and Vox government team put it out to tender in November for an amount of 2.5 million euros for a period of four years, establishing a minimum annual fee of 641,858 euros, with the intention that they would be operational by Easter, but we all know how that ended up.
The large number of bids, and the fact that it was divided into five lots, including water sports, have delayed the process, so much so that in the 15 months in which the beach bars have remained closed, the Orihuela Council has lost around 2 million euros in earnings.
At the moment, lots 4 and 5 have been awarded to Café Olé & Friends and Recreativos Acuáticos Horadada respectively; that is, those corresponding to the beach bar, hammocks and umbrellas on the beaches of La Glea, Barranco Rubio and Mil Palmeras (179,695 euros) and the nautical facilities in Cala Bosque and La Glea (37,466 euros).
Still pending signature are lot 1, which corresponds to Punta Prima, Cala Mosca and Cala Estaca (79,708 euros) and the most attractive lots 2 (Cala Cerrada, Cala Bosque and Cala Capitán for 239,663 euros) and 3 (La Caleta and Aguamarina ( 105,324).
The forecast is that they too will be formally awarded during this coming week, if there are no setbacks. Thereafter, the start-up will depend on the capacity and interests of each company in setting their beach bars up.
