No more leaving an umbrella on the beachfront at dawn or first thing in the morning just to ensure a good spot near the shore and use it again hours later. The practice of “reserving” a space in the arena in Algarrobo, Vélez-Málaga or Torrox could now lead to a fine of up to 300 euros. It is the decision adopted by these consistories, which have already introduced these measures in their municipal ordinances, to put an end to this people’s war.
“We did not see fair that this first line so desired by all was reserved and that the only thing we found were chairs, umbrellas and empty belongings,” he explains to the Councilor for Beaches of the Torrox town hall, Vanessa López. And it is that there are many residents and tourists who have complained of not being able to enjoy the beaches without finding places occupied by some empty hammocks, chairs or umbrellas of these early risers who occupy their positions and then leave to occupy them again throughout of the journey.
It is not a new conflict in the Spanish Levante, but it is that these actions are being implemented on the Costa del Sol to put an end to it. Some people consider that the fines are correct to raise awareness of the problem, others consider them excessive, and there are also those who ask that some exceptions be made, such as those belonging to the elderly.
Algarrobo, Vélez Málaga and Torrox, on the eastern coast of Málaga, have already approved fines of up to 300 euros for those who leave their belongings unattended for the sole purpose of saving space on the beach. These places are thus added to others in the country such as Cullera, Oropesa or Calpe, in the Valencian Community, where more severe penalties are applied that reach 3,000 euros for the same practice.
In his case, Torrox includes in article 14 of his municipal ordinance the prohibition of “reserving physical space on the beaches, at any time of the day or night, by placing any type of object or belongings on the sand without the physical presence of a person who owns it”.
The measure, the mayor points out, is the result of the “many complaints” received from occasional users and from the neighbors themselves, who “very frequently” find the first line of coastline occupied for hours without the presence of the owners of these objects.
In Torrox, the local police patrol the beach to check that the regulations are complied with. In case of detecting irregularities, remove the objects that have been without an owner for hours. If they want to recover them, they have to pay a withdrawal price of between 30 and 50 euros, depending on the location. Those affected can claim their belongings at the police station within a period of 14 days, before they acquire the category of “waste”.
With these measures, the municipalities want to guarantee good use of the beaches, preventing the reservation of spaces and making it easier for all citizens to have the same options to enjoy the sand and the sea.
“I think that reserving the site is not good at all because there are many of us who go to the beach,” says Ángela, a bather from Torrox who supports the adoption of measures that prevent this practice, although she sees the fine as “a bit excessive” and advocates promoting citizen awareness about the proper use of public space.
Sole, a bather on one of the main beaches in Torrox, insists on “watching” especially those who “put up an umbrella at eight in the morning and don’t return until noon” and differentiate the cases of older people and families who They withdraw only to eat and cannot carry their belongings.
“They have to find another solution because there is a beach for everyone,” underlines this user.