Costa del Sol town bans gazebos and tents on its beaches following complaints
The town hall has approved the modification of a 2014 municipal bylaw which already forbids tables, chairs and umbrellas on the sands - although there are some exceptions, with prior authorisation
Torrox on the eastern Costa del Sol is extending its war on beach clutter beyond the ban on tables, chairs and umbrellas that it has had in place since 2014. Now it is the turn of the gazebos and tents. During a full council meeting held on Monday 25 August, councillors voted in favour of a modification of the use and enjoyment of the town's beaches "with the priority objective of increasing safety and public spaces".
According to the town hall, "at the request of beach users and businesses in the sector", the installation of gazebos, tents and other similar structures" will be prohibited. The governing Partido Popular rejected the proposals presented by the main opposition group, the socialist PSOE party, to the modification of the municipal ordinance which was initially approved in February.
The councillor for the area, Vanessa López, explained in a statement that this type of installation "occupies a large space and privatises the area in which they are installed, usually leading to problems of excessive noise and visibility for the lifeguards, which prevent them from carrying out their work of control and surveillance to guarantee safety".
This prohibition, which from the outset will not entail sanctions and which will be of an informative nature, does not affect installations that take place between 6pm on 23 June and 8am on 24 June, coinciding with San Juan night celebrations. The measure will come into force once the modification of the beach bylaw is published in the Official Bulletin of Malaga province (BOP).
There will also be exemptions for authorised excursions, visits by groups of schoolchildren or people with disabilities. With this, and with the supervision and control by Local Police and Civil Protection officers, "a greater positive impact will be achieved in terms of cleanliness, less occupation of public space and an increase in safety, as there will also be better access to the beaches for emergency vehicles if necessary," López explained.
