Residents of Torrox up in arms over noise from beach bars

Around 50 residents from the Peñoncillo area of Torrox Costa gathered outside the town hall last Thursday, 3 August, to protest over the “noise and nuisance” coming from beach bars in the area.

Placards carried slogans that could be translated as: 'Peñoncillo united, Varadero silent', 'Varadero isn’t culture, close this rubbish’, ‘Disco out of here’ and ‘El Peñoncillo wants to sleep’.

The protesters, most of whom were foreign residents, gathered outside the town hall to demand an end to the noise which they say is caused by hospitality businesses in the area, including beach bars and clubs.

The demonstrators, who did not have permission to hold the protest, complained of the "passivity and inaction" of the town hall. The protest was broken up by Guardia Civil and Local Police officers.

The residents of El Peñoncillo said that they would continue "to fight for their rights and demand action from the town hall". They pointed out that "numerous letters have been presented to the town hall, but no response has been received".

Mayor of Torrox, Óscar Medina, responded to the protest with a statement saying, "Given the great moment that Torrox is experiencing as a tourist destination on the Costa del Sol and the wide range of leisure and entertainment that it enjoys as a complement to sun and beach, the right to rest is perfectly compatible with the leisure industry, as long as there is order, balance and compliance with current legislation."

The statement went on to say, "I believe in a modern Torrox, modern and full of leisure possibilities, in which young people and citizens do not have to travel to other towns in search of alternative offers.”

In his opinion, "Both visitors and residents need a wide and complete variety of leisure activities", in Torrox and along the Costa del Sol in summer.

His statement concluded, "Always, I insist, with order, balance and respecting rest time, we will continue to maintain the objective of being a lively, active and economic benchmark in the Axarquía and the Costa del Sol.”