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The cafeteria at the largest cemetery in the city of Malaga - Parcemasa - remains in a precarious situation, caused by poor management. Insolvency administration and an unsuccessful tendering bid are to blame for the complicated situation of a business that, otherwise, could be profitable. Workers are now worried that the facility could be closed, if a new tendering process doesn't tackle the issue.
The cemetery cafeteria has no competition and some three million people visit Parcemasa every year. On paper, this makes it a bar with great potential. Andrés Sánchez, representative of the UGT trade union, is one of the people most involved with the service. He has highlighted the goodwill that Parcemasa has shown, blaming concessionary company Good4Us for the situation. "They tricked Parcemasa, they tricked us..." he said.
Sánchez has stated that the accounts add up and that it is not only the restaurant operation that is being managed, but also vending machines, tobacco and catering services for funeral companies.
"This cafeteria can be profitable, and in five years, the debt would be settled," he said, considering the favourable conditions of the previous tender. "We trust in the good faith of all parties. We see that the numbers add up and there are the administrators' reports for each quarter. We don't have to prove anything," he said.
Daly Restaurant, with business in Puerto de la Torre 2008, was the only company that submitted a bid to run the cafeteria in January 2024. However, the tender ended up being declared void after the withdrawal of the bid.
"In any case, the current concession remains in force, meaning the service will continue to be provided by the company that was awarded the contract, despite having been declared bankrupt by the 2nd commercial court of Malaga. In fact, the contract holder's resignation has now been made official on the contracting portal, although the board of directors has known about it for months, while the cafeteria has continued to provide a service. The city council is studying different options," a municipal spokesperson told SUR.
All the difficulties of the cafeteria have caused Parcemasa significant challenges, as it has never seen fit to take on this service directly, but rather to outsource it. The municipal company does not consider it an essential part of the services offered at the cemetery; however, it acknowledges that it is an important facility for visitors.
The cafeteria was put out to tender for 336,000 euros for a period of 12 years. The tender includes the existing 16 staff members, whose gross monthly salaries vary greatly depending on professional category and seniority. In the document accompanying the tender specifications, salaries vary between 1,549 and 3,496, with some employees having been on the payroll since 1987. There are managers (first and second), cooks, kitchen assistants and bar tenders. The claims of the employees amount to 227,336 euros.
At all times, Parcemasa made clear its disassociation from the cafeteria's management. The company stated that it is the concessionaire who is responsible to provide service 365 days a year (at least 15 hours a day), offer a menu and catering.
Although the tender agreement was for an initial duration of 12 years, the specifications stipulate a three-year extension in order to be able to meet the debts, especially those involving Social Security.
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