The traditional exchange of soccer cards on Sundays in front of the Sant Antoni market in Barcelona moved this summer to the pedestrianized area of ??the neighborhood ring road.
This spring, the Som Sant Antoni merchants association requested the transfer of this activity due to the growing mobility problems that were being recorded, especially on the sidewalks of Urgell street, problems that affected several businesses in the area. Such was the bustle that people could not access these stores.
“And didn’t you have to fill the round of activities to avoid its degradation? asks Lidia Núñez, from the Som San Antoni association. It is a transfer of a few meters that can in no way cloud this tradition.” Before, people used to settle on the railing of a car park and now they do so in the large flowerpots in the round.
In principle, the government of Mayor Ada Colau said that the transfer did not seem like a good idea given that the reform of this section of the round should start at the end of this summer. And also in those days municipal elections were approaching…
But the merchants entered into negotiations on their own with the main vendors of trading cards, who are the ones who call the shots in this sarao, and told them that in the round they would have more space, that they would be much more comfortable, that in this way everyone would be happy…
Seen what has been seen these last weekends, so far the test is giving good results. In fact, the City Council seems to have overcome its reluctance and is already collaborating with the initiative. Municipal police and civic agents order collectors to go down a few meters, to get in the round.
So everything points to the fact that once the section of the roundabout in question is redeveloped, if all goes well during the spring of next year, the trading card exchange may have a new location.
