Caleta very busy.

[ashworth]

Caleta is very busy at the moment. There are people here from all over Europe. Lots of French, Spanish,  Italians and a growing number of North East Europeans. On the Atlántico beach yesterday it had a real buzz about the place. As a Brit we were well in the minority and the place is defiantly becoming more of a mixed European resort. Not sure if that is good or bad for local business at the moment, but that is the way things are going so businesses will have to adapt to cater for different tastes.

[Brightspark]

By all means the place can be busy but it doesn't matter if they aren't spending the money

It's probably just the usual, observe Caleta between 6-9pm and yes it's rammed, this is when the AI's have fed the masses their generic supper and they're out for a window shopping stroll to burn off the calories/wear out the kids ready for bed.

[ashworth]

Yes but besides the AI hotels there are 1000s staying in apartments and villas. At night there are loads of people Walking, Driving and Taxing down from the villas on the golf course to eat and drink in Caleta.  I spoke to a good few people on AI at the Sara and they soon get bored with it. Some ate in one night and out the next. So each to his own. Personally I would not touch A1 with a barge pole but people do so its another form of holiday and  I would think it is here to stay..

[IsThisForumStillGoingWow]

Caleta is very busy at the moment. There are people here from all over Europe. Lots of French, Spanish,  Italians and a growing number of North East Europeans. On the Atlántico beach yesterday it had a real buzz about the place. As a Brit we were well in the minority and the place is defiantly becoming more of a mixed European resort. Not sure if that is good or bad for local business at the moment, but that is the way things are going so businesses will have to adapt to cater for different tastes.

Hang on..the Brits are always getting knocked for not eating Spanish cuisine and wanting their English breks & steak or fish n chips..so why should the businesses cater for French, Italians (who make one drink last ALL night)and East Europeans..let 'em all eat the local cuisine..why should they get preferential treatment 

[Spike On Q]

They'll struggle to find good Spanish food in Caleta!

[IsThisForumStillGoingWow]

They'll struggle to find good Spanish food in Caleta!

You obviously don't eat at El Capitans then Spike.

[Paddster]

Or Lins 

[admin]

Gentle reminder folks that the Bars & Restaurant section is in dire need of more reviews.

Thank you.

[foreveramber1]

Good positive post, but typically ruined by negative comments from people who dont live here. Bar and restaurants need to change with the times and different clients, otherwise they will not survive ! It aint rocket science...its just business.

[appy ammer]

Good positive post, but typically ruined by negative comments from people who dont live here. Bar and restaurants need to change with the times and different clients, otherwise they will not survive ! It aint rocket science...its just business.

Spike does hev and bs did

[Brightspark]

Good positive post, but typically ruined by negative comments from people who dont live here. Bar and restaurants need to change with the times and different clients, otherwise they will not survive ! It aint rocket science...its just business.

It's a forum, it's not about negativity but discussion.
What would you rather do? Everyone agree with eachother and live in harmony whilst pretty little butterflies flutter through fields of beautiful red poppies......

[peejay]

I think the point being made is that Caleta is becoming much more international, it is no longer predominantly just a 'British' resort. We too have noticed a real change over the last 18 months and I hope it continues, as it feels much livelier and more interesting. It is not about having loads of businesses that attract the French or the Northern Europeans or whoever, but more about less businesses targeting just the British. Businesses will need to adapt to attract everyone, not put people off by slapping union jacks over everything. Yes, there will always be a place for a decent British bar, but only the best will survive. The rest will have to make themselves more attractive to a broader clientele.

[IsThisForumStillGoingWow]

Hang on..the Brits are always getting knocked for not eating Spanish cuisine and wanting their English breks & steak or fish n chips..so why should the businesses cater for French, Italians (who make one drink last ALL night)and East Europeans..let 'em all eat the local cuisine..why should they get preferential treatment 
[/quote]

Foeveramber, that was more tongue in cheek, poking fun at those whose moan about the brits wanting their national grub  And we lived on Fue for 12+ years, had a bar in Caleta for 6+ years and have been visitors for 18+ years (since the days when there were few tarmacked roads and the airport was like a dutch barn) so I'm hardly 'an outsider' 
Oh and we return to visit out son and grandson at least 3-4 times a year (Self catering, having every meal out, brek & dinner evenings)

[foreveramber1]

BS, I know its a forum, all I am saying is this forum is visited regularly by people thinking of coming to visit the island and continued negative comments may put off prospective visitors. I used to live in South Africa thirty odd years ago but that does not qualify me to talk about it now. Things change, resorts change, nationalities change and if bars and restaurants are not prepared to change they will have no custom. As I said, not rocket science, and certainly not a personal attack on anyone.

[pestcatore]

The food in Caleta is dire! And yes I've been 7  times, the best place used to be the Spanish owned  cafe near the taxi rank up from Lins , nothing fancy but good and reasonably priced, lunch times it was frequented by work men and coppers. Sadly its under new management.

[whyme]

Some of you people haven't got a clue, you're so anti british it stinks.

When you go abroad you like to eat in different restaurants serving
their national dishes which is fine.

When people from other countries go abroad they like to do the same and one of those restaurants they like to try is low and behold british. All of which means believe it not that the british bars don't have to start selling snails or tapas etc.

Of course those of you who hate all things british especially those that have lived here five minutes and changed their name to Pedro already will not believe this but it's true.

Yes I do run three establishments in Caleta, two of which are very British and a good 30% of my customers are non British and yes we're doing very nicely thank you.

[GJP200]

Which places are yours whyme ? 

[Brightspark]

Which places are yours whyme ? 

Random 1st post for a newcomer or is there more of a motive to your query?

[sal]

Will be there in October!  Can't wait!   

[ashworth]

Just to remind everyone. Try running a Pub or Restaurant in the UK at the moment, very few making any money. Or try your hand at a high street shop you might as well set fire to your money. The established businesses in Caleta seem to be doing ok and the Camel man is flat out and has had to take on extra staff. 

[SheilaW]

a good 30% of my customers are non British

In that case, you're clearly encouraging non-Brits rather than discouraging them.

I know of at least one British restaurant in Corralejo (now closed, perhaps not surprisingly) where the proprietor wasn't in the least interested in learning a word of Spanish, and was quite rude to a Spanish teacher who was bold enough to suggest that it might be a good idea, the restaurant being actually in Spain. When some Spanish people I know went there to try the food, they were very definitely not made to feel welcome. If that's the sort of welcome locals (i.e. the Spanish ones) get in British-owned restaurants, then I imagine Russian, French, Polish etc tourists will get an even worse reception.

I have no problem at all with British restaurants for all, but in some of them there's a definite 'them and us' feeling that makes the food indigestible. When you go to the pizzerias here, do you have to speak Italian to be understood? If you speak Spanish or English will you be ostracised?

[dagwood]

a good 30% of my customers are non British

In that case, you're clearly encouraging non-Brits rather than discouraging them.

I know of at least one British restaurant in Corralejo (now closed, perhaps not surprisingly) where the proprietor wasn't in the least interested in learning a word of Spanish, and was quite rude to a Spanish teacher who was bold enough to suggest that it might be a good idea, the restaurant being actually in Spain. When some Spanish people I know went there to try the food, they were very definitely not made to feel welcome. If that's the sort of welcome locals (i.e. the Spanish ones) get in British-owned restaurants, then I imagine Russian, French, Polish etc tourists will get an even worse reception.

I have no problem at all with British restaurants for all, but in some of them there's a definite 'them and us' feeling that makes the food indigestible. When you go to the pizzerias here, do you have to speak Italian to be understood? If you speak Spanish or English will you be ostracised?

So that's where Basil Faulty went.

[Can the Man]

Nice one Ollie

[lionfish]

As usual, quite a lot of nonsense is being written here.
Every business owner needs to continually review the range of products they offer, the quality of the products they offer and also review prices compared with competitors.
In the end of the day, in this difficult economic climate, if the balance sheet is positive over the whole year with enough surplus to enjoy the life you desire, then you are doing well and there's probably no need to change - but do keep a watchful eye!
If the balance sheet is in the red, or if you have insufficient surplus to live on, then serious questions need to be asked regarding the range of goods/food/drinks, the quality of goods/food/drinks and the pricing structure.
If a restaurants needs to change then an idea along the lines used by a one quite well known in Caleta of regularly taking the dish which proves least popular off the menu and replacing it by something new is a good model. If an Eastern European dish (or a dish from any other nation) is thought to be appropriate, then by all means try if for a few weeks as an option, but don't go the whole hog to convert the whole menu to some other country's cuisine until you have evidence to support the move.
Pestcatore's comment that "The food in Caleta is dire!" is probably just a wind up, or it's the comment of someone who has no idea where to eat. Caleta is not a 4 or 5 star resort (yet!) and therefore food prices need to target clients who don't want to spend 50€ p.p.p.n. eating out and in my opinion bars and restaurants do this well with a really good range on offer.
My own experience of the last few days:-
On Sunday evening I ate with my family at El Capitan's in Calata. There were 8 of us, we all had our fill of excellent tapas style food, ordering more as and when required, and 2 drinks each. The  bill for all 8 people, including drinks, was 80€. The bar/restaurant was busy, but not as busy as it can be, but it operated with around 6 staff to man the kitchen, the bar and to serve food to the tables - those staff working flat out the whole time we were there.
Last night, back in the UK, I went to my local pub for a meal. There were at most 14 diners, including a party of 8, and about 4 people just there for drinks. My bill for food and 3 drinks was £23.95 (~27€) - almost 3 times what I paid on Sunday in Caleta. In terms of staff, 1 behind the bar who hadn't a clue how to operate the till, 3 waitresses (to serve 14 diners!), 2 cooks in the kitchen ( to cook 14 meals!) plus the 2 owners floating around doing very little, which didn't include socializing with customers! Guess what - staff standing around with nothing to do - a certain recipe for disaster.
Tomorrow night I will be back in Caleta, and will probably go for a pizza (just across from Fado Rock) which I know will be superb and, with 2 large drinks, it will probably cost less than 10€p.p.
Where do you think I prefer to eat?

[raye]

Well said Lionfish......i couldn't agree more.

[GJP200]

Apologies Brightspark ,

There is no hidden agenda regarding my post, as a relative newcomer to Caleta (6 visits in the last 3 years) I truly enjoy the resort and the friendly atmosphere it offers, I was just trying build up a mental picture of which three restaurants are owned by the same person to see if I could sense any similarities between them, purely out of curiosity (nosey!).

[Paddster]

What's the name for the place where you eat the pizza lionfish ?

[IsThisForumStillGoingWow]

I would think it's The Cave, owned by Walter who previously had La Torres (was on top floor, same centre) We  went there in April (6 adults, 2 kiddies) and had several pizzas, a big salad bowl, garlic bread and bruchetta. Very reasonable and excellent handmade pizzas (and not a chip in sight  no deep fryers there)
It was so nice we went back there again in June

[IsThisForumStillGoingWow]

There's some reviews here Padddy   

Ranked #4 of 58 restaurants in Caleta de Fuste


http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g658907-d2653993-Reviews-The_Cave_Lounge_Cafe-Caleta_de_Fuste_Antigua_Fuerteventura_Canary_Islands.html

[Paddster]

Cheers hev