More lunacy

[austin7]

This island survives on tourism. When are the authorities going to wake up to this and stop trying to kill off this industry.

They are struggling with huge debt and massive unemployment, yet their answer seems to be to hammer the revenue generating businesses, destroy the private rental market, and ensure that the only choice tourists have is to go All Inclusive.

The AI arguement is well known, as is the benefits of having a wide variety of accommodation available to tourists.

At 8pm in Corralejo last Friday night the the Policia Local, on instructions from the council closed 12 bars in the Atlantico Centre - the excuse - they have shutters and no doors!!!

I don't know how long the Atlantoco centre has been there, but at least 10 - 12 years, and throughout this time these same bars have been open for tourists, but suddenly the Police decide they are illegal.....

What is even worse this was done with no warning, and timed to cause the most damage and inconvenience to the business owners. By doing this at 8pm on a Friday night, and with no possability off appeal until Monday they ensured that these businesses have lost their W/E takings. This at a time when all businesses are struggling.

One bar had only just recieved it's new licence the day before, and when they showed this to the Police were told it was a mistake.....

At this time nobody knows the consequences of this, are these businesses going to be allowed to open again? if not that is several people who will lose their livelyhoods, businesses and jobs.

Are they going to be forced to replace shutters with doors, a very expensive option, which will also greatly reduce their capacity, and thus viability, and will probably mean they will also require to install Aircon. - For most of these businesses this would be uneconomical and force them to close..

The possible outcome from this is that several people will lose their jobs, adding to unemployment. The business owners will lose revenue and/or their business, the council and national governments will lose tax revenue, and there will be fewer attractions to get the tourists out of the complexes into the town.

Cynics might conclude that this is exactly what the La Oliva council are aiming for, as funnily enough the majority of these businesses are owned and run by Brits, Dutch and Germans..

These authorities need to get their heads out of the sand.
Reduce the airport charges and we will get more tourists.
Completely overhaul the holiday letting legislation, provide sensible licences, which will generate income to them while providing choice to tourists, again attracting more tourists.
Look at what is happening in other parts of the Canaries, mainland Spain, Greece, Turkey and other tourist areas, where they are restricting All Inclusives as they have discovered to their cost that AI destroys the economy of the local towns.

[denboy]

all the observations you have made are just common sense,something sadly lacking in the people who run the fuerteventura tourist industry.i really fear for the future,and feel sorry for business owners trying to survive in the present climate.just hope things change in the near future.won,t hold my breath though.

[fuertesol]

All good stuff Austin 7 but this needs to be addressed to the Mayoress at La Oliva or the island tourism Director at the Cabildo as I doubt if she/he will read the forum.

There is a form to fill in on the counter at the office in the Town Hall at La Oliva where you can voice your concerns.It would need to be filled in in Spanish but I am sure that either you or someone you know could help with this.

I have done this myself over other local issues and had some success.

The golden rule with the council is be polite, speak Spanish and know your facts are correct before you put pen to paper.

[Voldermort]

Sounds like a typical Island `ulterior motive ` move tbh.......not the first time either. Brown envelopes anyone??

   As for AI, whilst destructive I agree, its what is being demanded by the customers in increasing numbers, which is why the Tour Operators are providing it. The pound is back on its ass again which doesn`t help.

[woe10]

Same old story. The  Cabildo have interests in a door making factory 

[Ivemovedon]

There is always a reason for everything. And when you see so many unreasonable decisions being taken that are negative to the private tourist trade the question is what is it?. Who is going to profit if these questionable rental laws are implemented,bars in resorts are hounded or non package tour flights go through the roof?. Given the track record of local councils in Spain and the recent revelation (to some) that elements of the guardia civil are not quite kosher its quite easy to come to certain conclusions and as someone who tends to be a little cynical and loves a conspiracy theory i certainly have mine.

[Blueboy7]

I would be looking at what bars were left open on Friday night in the centre?? and if any of the Police have any involvment with the ownership of these bars??? take for instance the Spanish bars opposite the cop shop that the police use as a watering hole?? just a thought??

[KWC]

Terrible way to treat businesses. Don't they believe in pre warning the businesses before they act like baboons with their "we can do what we like attitude".
Its not on in this day and age and they should be taken to task over this.

Nice way to generate tourism and business developement - not

[fifi]

All good stuff Austin 7 but this needs to be addressed to the Mayoress at La Oliva or the island tourism Director at the Cabildo as I doubt if she/he will read the forum.

There is a form to fill in on the counter at the office in the Town Hall at La Oliva where you can voice your concerns.It would need to be filled in in Spanish but I am sure that either you or someone you know could help with this.

I have done this myself over other local issues and had some success.

The golden rule with the council is be polite, speak Spanish and know your facts are correct before you put pen to paper.

Complaints can be made online also through the Ayuntamientos website. http://translate.google.ie/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.laoliva.es%2F&act=url

[Blueboy7]

Your right Fi Fi, I went in with both feet without knowing the facts, just got off the phone to a friend in Corralejo (actualy on Tam), all is not what it seems.
My apologies to the Police.

[Voldermort]

What is the story then Blueboy ??

[fifi]

What is the story then Blueboy ??

I am very curious too.

[KWC]

Im more than curious, pls do tell us

[Ole Man River]

We just heard from a friend of ours who was there on Friday night. A load of Policia came in & just told everyone to get out! Apparently the reason was "noise pollution" He said he knows one of the owners who since told him that they went to Court & saw The Mayor on Monday & were told to come back again on Friday!
The fact that it is the British, Dutch, Germans & other Foreign Nationals who have found themselves in this unfortunate position in the run-up to Carnival Week (thus leaving the local Spanish bars to reap the benefits alone) is so obvious.
Unfortunately there is no other word for it - it is Racism!
Where this type of attitude by both the Council & the Policia will get this Island, does not bear thinking about!!!
One hopes Common Sense will prevail. We feel very sorry for all those people who will suffer loss of income.

[Voldermort]

That makes sense...They really do live in a time warp on the Island. The locals, who dont live by tourism, just wish it would go away and those that do, jerrymander at every turn to keep everything profitable for themselves alone.

[whyme]

Racism, what racism? It is well known that I own two businesses in the Happy Centre, one either side of a very popular police watering hole. Last year our two businesses were visited 128 times, yes 128 times without one fine or court appearance although my wife was beaten up by a local policeman in her bar area. Yet next door didn't get one visit despite breaking numerous laws on a daily basis.

[thomo]

Not quite true whyme
http://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/boc/2012/152/014.html
http://www.gobcan.es/boc/2012/228/009.html
http://www.gobcan.es/boc/2012/190/015.html

[SheilaW]

Is there not some sort of trading association that the owners of all these places belong to? Surely there should be? We can all complain, but how loud can individuals shout? OTOH, if hundreds of bars and restaurants join together, they can shout loud enough to be heard on Gran Canaria. Maybe. I'm sure many of them can shout in Spanish, too.

Something really has to be done: I had a look round yesterday and just about every business in Atlantico has a notice slapped on it, including the "Flicks" ones that are supposed to be pretty much the most popular places up here.

I'll sign a petition, wave a banner - whatever - but I'm not personally involved, just a client (or maybe an ex-client) of many of these places.

[Ivemovedon]

Maybe places like the Atlantico aren't deemed 'up market ' enough for the new 5 star tourist vision that is now on the agenda. Mind you you would have thought the local plod would have kept a low profile for a while after the demise of some of their colleagues last week. Big A/I hotelliers must be having a quiet laff to themselves at this one.

[falkirkdan]

The whole situation seems so ludicrious.    Holiday island with all the bars closed???  Except of course those that can afford the brown envelopes to the local fuzz and council.
Next thing they will be stopping us all as we come of the plane and if we are not headed for an AI will be refusing us entry.   Or is that a step too far.

By the way All Inclusive is nothing new.   Mr Butlin cetainly made a fortune out of it in UK with his holiday camps.   How many of us on the forum complaining about AI went to UK's AIs at Butlins and Pontins.   Once inside the gates on Sat afternoon few of us ventured out till the following Sat.

[mobbo100]

why are some bars being targeted and plenty other illegal ones not...or is it the case that the council will eventually get to everyone....illegal of course...

[Paddster]

NEVER been AI - prefer to do my own thing but there is a market for it i agree,people's own choice and all that 

[whyme]

The part about AI that I don't get is that people pay for it when booking on their credit cards which goes straight to Thomas Cook in Germany. THe tourists then come on holiday probably eight months later bringing very little spending money with them, believing everything has been paid for and don't leave the hotel from beginning to end.
The hotel then invoices Thomas Cook for these tourists which takes prrobably six months to be payed. This means Thomas Cook has thier money for say fourteen months so you can see why they like AI can't you.
The scarey part is that Thomas Cook had to borrow billions of euros last year just to stay afloat. As they have such a large monopoly on the tourist industry if they go under we are all in major trouble and it will take the industry years to recover.

[peejay]

I think the Canarian Government have finally realised that AI is not all it's cracked up to be, and hoteliers recognise that it's not so profitable either. This is why they are trying to move towards this more luxury 5 star model of tourism. Basically they are trying to attract tourists who will spend more money on the island. Let's face it, most of the AI people are trying to spend as little as possible, that's the whole point. But it's no good pushing 5 star to the exclusion of everything else, as there are only a finite number of 5 star tourists to go round, and if you have an over supply of 5 star accommodation, then prices have to be slashed to attract customers and that then has an impact on 4 star and 3 star accommodation prices and so on.

There is also a move towards a more international clientele, rather than just the reliance on the British, German and Spanish markets. Whether or not this is linked to the targeting of British businesses for noise pollution is impossible to prove. At the end of the day though there should be enough room for everyone and most businesses adapt to the nature of the customers they are serving. Those that don't will inevitable close. It's called a free market economy and there is certainly no need for heavy handed police intervention.

[duncolm]

The scarey part is that Thomas Cook had to borrow billions of euros last year just to stay afloat. As they have such a large monopoly on the tourist industry if they go under we are all in major trouble and it will take the industry years to recover.

and right on cue:
Thomas Cook to cut 2,500 jobs in UK

[hairybiker]

The part about AI that I don't get is that people pay for it when booking on their credit cards which goes straight to Thomas Cook in Germany.

Add Thomson to that list. Owned by TUI, also in Germany

[austin7]

Just received a bit more info - they have now closed nearly all the bars in the Atlantico centre.

What I have heard is that the recently revamped Corralejop Hotel on the front has Denounced the La Oliva council for not dealing with the noise problem, and until this has been through the courts none of the businesses can reopen, this could possibly take months if not longer.

Whichever way, the Council are in deep S**T,  If the denuncia is upheld, the council will have to pay damages, and none of the businesses will be allowed to open until they are all soundproofed, but this also leaves the council open to be sued by the business owners for continuing to issue licences whilst knowing that these licences are invalid.

However if the council is cleared, then they are once again open to being sued for closing down ligitimate businesses without due cause.

The lawyers must be loving this.

Whatever the truth, it means that coming up to one of the busiest times of the year, tourists are bing deprived of one of the most popular attractions for youngsters in town - meaning they will all have to pay the council to enter the marque down at the harbour, or alternatively go to Waikiki...

The big losers are the poor people who are trying to make a living in these hard times, no matter what the final outcome, huge damage has been inflicted.

[Ivemovedon]

Hmmm in that case heads should roll in the council offices. Or maybe not....If its like UK nowadays where incompetance and failure is rewarded with bigger bonuses and promotion.

[peejay]

Begs the question why Waikiki isn't in the firing line then as well, isn't that open air?

Often the rules & regulations and red tape are so complicated, nobody bothers to understand or reinforce them properly and then when there's a problem it ends up with a massive over response, like this crackdown. Surely it makes more sense to give business owners time to install the necessary soundproofing to retain their licence, rather than just closing them down. It's not going to look good in the centre of town with everything shut is it. So much for quality tourism!

[woe10]

The "Can Of Worms" is opening even wider.  Caleta next