Established in 2018, the super-popular group has rapidly grown to become the largest community group in the South Costa Blanca, welcoming almost 150 new members daily with a total membership exceeding 145,000 people.

The Facebook group comprises residents of Orihuela Costa and visitors from more than 42 countries globally, including almost every local social business in the locality including bars, restaurants, gyms, and clubs.

It has become the digital town square for Orihuela Costa, a place where people can communicate with each other, share information and knowledge, and ask questions about everything from banking to bedding, or virtually any other aspect of visiting, travelling to, or living in Spain.

As administrators, we were given no warning that the group would be suspended, and having spent the past seven years building the online community and welcoming tens of thousands of people each year, we are of course, devastated.

Why was the Facebook Group suspended?

The group was suspended by a Meta AI Bot for violating intellectual property rights. This is clearly a technical error, and we do not permit any publication that violates the intellectual property rights of others.

In fact, we uphold the group rules and Facebook's Community Standards rigorously, sometimes to the dismay of selected members.

But it's also one of the reasons the group is so popular, and we have always aimed to cultivate a safe space for civil discussion, the exchange of ideas and information, and to facilitate the connection of people and local businesses.

Enforcing rules or taking action against members who breach them isn't the most pleasurable part of our job. However, sometimes it's regrettably necessary, and we knew from the start that maintaining a healthy online environment wasn't always going to be easy in such a vast and diverse audience.

In this particular instance, we had already implemented technical measures to ensure that publications that breach intellectual property rights could not appear in the group, and the post that led to the suspension of the group was automatically declined and was not published.

What happens to the La Zenia Community Group now?

We've started the appeals process. This is the second time this year that the group has been taken down, and to Meta's credit, the last time this happened in February the group was restored in 4 days, so we're hopeful of a similar outcome.

However, the Facebook group is currently not visible to members and doesn't appear in search results on the platform. We can still see it, so we know the group is still there – albeit in its suspended, cryogenically frozen state.

We don't know how long the suspension will last – it could be a week, a month, or much longer. On the other hand, the group might reappear tomorrow.

We will continue to reach out to the Meta Support Team to resolve the issue. But as things stand right now, the future of the La Zenia Community Facebook Group remains in the fickle hands of the AI Meta Bots again.

Once we have some positive news we'll let everyone know through our Facebook and Instagram channels. Watch this space.

Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.

Now in its 12th year since opening, the Costa Blanca's favourite retail venue recorded an 8.6% increase in footfall compared with the previous year of 2022. The summer months of July and August saw the highest traffic, with 1.8 million visitors in July and 1.7 million in August 2023.

The shopping centre has been undergoing a thorough renovation since March last year, with 18 million Euros invested in improving the local retail mecca with a cutting-edge design and a radical new image.

The renovation of Zenia Boulevard includes improvement of the facades, pavement and tiling, rest areas, and upper dining areas, as well as improvements to the children's play areas and facilities.

A helicopter could be seen lifting heavy equipment onto the shopping centre's roof earlier this week to install additional equipment for the solar electricity installation.

The management team foresees a 40% increase in the use of sustainable energy in common areas and a 10% to 15% reduction in water consumption, thanks to the installation of a micro water treatment plant. Works are expected to be completed by the end of March 2024.

La Zenia Boulevard improvements due for completion in March 2024

Cristina Ros, the Director of Zenia Boulevard shopping centre, said, “We are very proud to have reached a new record number of visitors. This data highlights that we are a unique point of reference, a meeting point where our visitors can enjoy unforgettable moments together.”

“We are convinced that 2024 will be a positive year for Zenia Boulevard since we will have completed this ambitious renovation project that will transform us into an innovative, modern, and very welcoming shopping centre.”

“My thanks go to all the people who visit us and trust in our management, and to the entire Zenia Boulevard team for the hard work, dedication, and the effort that has made it possible for us to get to where we are today.”

Located strategically on the Orihuela Costa, Zenia Boulevard is managed by Nhood España and owned by French commercial property developer Ceetrus Properties and CBRE Investment Management. The popular shopping centre first opened its doors in 2012.

Is Zenia Boulevard open today? Find the complete opening hours calendar for 2024, with bank holiday and Sunday Trading closures during the 2024 year.

Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.

Photo credit: LaZenia.com / Luc Cassiman

Orihuela City council reached an agreement with the previous concessionaire to move the structure of the beach bars to a warehouse, partially dismantling the two remaining chiringuitos on Cala La Caleta in Cabo Roig and Cala Bosque in La Zenia this past Tuesday.

According to municipal sources quoted by news outlet “La Verdad” on Wednesday, Orihuela town hall agreed with the previous operator of the beach bars, Chiringuitos del Sol, to partially dismantle and remove these beach bars.

The town hall provided the heavy machinery, with representatives of Chiringuitos del Sol providing the labour to dismantle the structure, as no other company had the experience or knowledge required to complete the task. The structures of the two bars are expected to be removed to a local municipal storage facility.

Orihuela Costa Chiringuitos to return Easter 2024

According to La Verdad, the Coastal Department of Orihuela town hall is working to restructure the expired contracts inherited from the previous local government, following last year's decision not to grant an extension to the contract beyond the end of 2022.

The news outlet revealed that the Coastal Department intends to divide the future replacement contract for beach services across Orihuela Costa's eleven beaches into five parts (one contract for the provision of nautical sports) rather than award a single contract as they have done previously.

The distribution of the contracts will be geographical to minimise the need for travel. A clause will be included in the bidding process so that bidders can only secure a maximum of two contracts of the five on offer.

The town hall will adjust the fees payable under each contract so that those beach bars estimated to generate the most income, such as the chiringuitos in La Zenia and Cabo Roig, cost more. Bars on less popular beaches such as Punta Prima or Aguamarina are expected to benefit from cheaper contractual fees.

The bidding process and official awarding of contracts will take place in early 2024, with the much-loved chiringuitos expected to return to the beaches of Orihuela Costa at Easter next year.

Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.

Photo credit: Michael Poetschke

The initiative began earlier this year, with Local Police officers deploying drones to record incidences of fly-tipping and dumping of domestic rubbish on the streets of Orihuela Costa.

The force announced that 10 offences were detected in the first four days of the offensive, with people reported for dumping garden waste and large items of furniture towards the end of May.

And on Friday morning, Orihuela's Local Police released a video on their official Twitter account reminding residents when and where they are permitted to dispose of their household refuse and garden waste.

The video footage, presumably filmed by a drone, shows a person with a van dumping garden waste from a large builder's aggregate bag directly onto the street in a parking zone adjacent to empty land.

The short 45-second clip shows the unsuspecting subject being approached by a patrol car and ends with a message “Professionals are reminded that they must manage their own waste (according to) Article 72 of the municipal ordinance. And we remind individuals of the locations, collection days and contact numbers.”

Orihuela Costa offers a free rubbish collection service

Dumping rubbish on the streets or in any other public space is a civil offence in the Orihuela Costa area and the financial penalties can be eye-watering. Minor offences of littering attract fines of up to €750 for a single offence, while more serious infractions of the civil ordinance attract fines of up to €3,000.

Some residents and holiday home owners seem unaware of the local regulations, and often people place items beside the collection bins mistakenly believing that they are “recycling” their unwanted items, and that they will have some value for others.

However, placing unwanted items of furniture, building rubble, garden waste, and household refuse in the streets contributes to the degradation of our neighbourhoods, causes access problems for residents, and constitutes a potential hazard to the health and wellbeing of the community as a whole.

However, Orihuela Town Hall offers a free collection service for domestic refuse, garden waste, and unwanted household appliances and furniture.

The free service operates 6-days a week throughout the year, serving different areas of the Orihuela Costa on differing days. Complete service information can be found on stickers attached to each bin, or find out what day the service operates in your area here.

Play your part to keep our streets clean, simply call +34 966 076 100 extension 4500 to request a free refuse collection. Alternatively, contact the Town Hall via email at costa@orihuela.es to ask for authorisation to dispose of your rubbish or unwanted household goods.

Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.

The Council oversees the regular emptying of nearly 1,000 waste containers throughout the municipality, including 376 side and top-loading recycling bins on the Orihuela Costa. It's a mammoth task, requiring the daily management of more than a million litres of refuse capacity along the coast alone (1,066,700 litres to be accurate).

The Town Hall increased the scale of its garden waste collection service in July 2020, adding an additional commercial vehicle to its fleet to collect prunings and cuttings from residents on the Orihuela Costa exclusively.

The additional truck and driver work during the busy season with morning and afternoon shifts at an annual cost of €49,984.

Just one month later in August, the City Council splashed out nearly a quarter of a million Euros on an additional refuse collection vehicle. The next-generation fleet addition cost €232,575 and incorporates a suite of technological features including geolocation mapping and a low-emissions drivetrain.

Free refuse collection service for Orihuela Costa

The Town Hall offer a free refuse collection service for garden waste and household items that operates six days a week throughout the year, serving different areas every day except Saturday.

The vehicles can take loads up to one cubic metre in size. For comparison, that´s the volume occupied by three standard household washing machines or a one-tonne commercial builders bag.

Orihuela Costa residents needing to dispose of household items, large amounts of refuse or garden clippings, need to get in-touch with the Council before placing items on the street.

This prevents possible obstruction or personal injury, mitigates health hazards, and helps to preserve the aesthetic of our Mediterranean urban environment.

It's important to remember that disposing of household or garden waste in the street without prior permission is prohibited by municipal regulations, and people that choose to do so can face fines of up to €1,500.

Simply call +34 966 076 100 extension 4500 to request a refuse collection. Alternatively, contact the Town Hall via email at costa@orihuela.es to ask for authorisation to dispose of your rubbish or unwanted household goods.

You'll need to provide the address where you plan to leave your rubbish, and the Council will schedule your collection and tell you what day and time to deposit your items in the street.

Weekly schedule of household and garden refuse collection service

Monday
Campoamor, Mil Palmeras, La Regia, and Lomas de Campoamor.

Tuesday
La Zenia, Punta Prima, La Ciñuelica, Los Balcones, Aguamarina, Los Pinos, Los Altos-Villarosa, Horizonte-Citrus, and Alameda del Mar.

Wednesday
La Chismosa-Lago Sol, La Florida, Las Piscinas, Las Ramblas, and Lomas de Campoamor.

Thursday
Villamarin, Las Filipinas, PAU-8, El Galán, Villacosta, and Blue Lagoon.

Friday
Los Dolses, La Solana, Lomas de Don Juan, Montezenia, Lomas de Cabo Roig, La Cuerda, and Playa Flamenca.

Sunday
Villapiedra, Cabo Roig, Zenia II, PAU-3, and Playa Flamenca (beach side of N-332).

Play your part to maintain the quality of our environment

Please remember that conscientious management of household and garden waste and careful disposal of rubbish is a responsibility shared by all residents on the Orihuela Costa.

Recycle your waste wherever this is possible, and help to take care of our beautiful local environment.

For more information about the public services provided by Orihuela City Council please visit the official website, or find the Concejalía de Residentes Internacionales” on Facebook here.

Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.

Photo credit: LaZenia.com.

On Friday evening the Spanish Government announced the areas of Spain that will move to the next phase of de-escalation.

The published proposals mean that only 51% of the Spanish population will move on to phase one this Monday 11th May, with the Valencian Province split by health departments reflecting the differing capacities and capabilities within the autonomous community.

The areas of Orihuela Costa and neighbouring Torrevieja get the green light to proceed to phase one tomorrow, whereas adjacent health areas in Alicante and Elche are held back in phase zero.

Freedom of movement and health departments, where can you go

Residents in provinces such as neighbouring Murcia, who advance from Phase Zero to Phase One in their entirety tomorrow, can enjoy the freedom to travel anywhere within their province.

But because the Valencian Province moves to Phase One in a fragmented fashion, with only ten of the twenty-four Valencian health departments advancing to the next phase this coming week, residents are permitted to travel only within the area of their health department.

For those of us living here on the Orihuela Costa, this means that we can travel within the Torrevieja health department that covers Benijofar, Rojales (and Ciudad Quesada), and Guardamar del Segura to the north; and Torre de la Horadada and Pilar de la Horadada to the south.

This includes villages, towns, and cities in between these boundaries in addition to inland locations such as Villamartin, San Miguel de Salinas, and Pinar de Campoverde. It is not currently permitted to cross the provincial border into Murcia.

Orihuela Costa shopping, small shops can open their doors to customers

Small retailers with a sale area of 400 square metres or less can open to the public during their usual opening hours, and you are no longer obliged to shop for groceries in the supermarket that is closest to your home.

Stores and shops are limited to 30% of their normal capacity, and customers must maintain their safe distance from other shoppers. A limited capacity may mean you need to queue to enter more popular premises, but even outside, you must always keep a safe distance of two metres from other people.

You'll need to make an appointment to visit a car dealer or a garden centre, and all commercial businesses will need to prioritise service for persons aged 65-years or over. In some cases, shops might be able to serve one customer on the premises at any one time.

Going out on the Orihuela Costa, going to bars and restaurants

Bars and restaurants can open their outside spaces and terraces for table service from tomorrow. Only 50% of the tables may be occupied and these tables must be safely spaced apart by two metres.

Space might be limited, so you may have to wait for a table. Some establishments might require a booking and some venues may choose not to open at all, or only open for restricted times, so check before you travel.

It's worth noting that restaurants are not permitted to give you non-disposable items such as vinegar, oil bottles, or even a menu, so you'll need to order from a chalkboard or an online menu. Always remember to keep the recommended safe distance of two metres away from other diners.

Meeting with friends, and going out socially

You can meet with your friends and family at your home, in public, or at a bar or restaurant at any time you choose.

If you meet within the confines of your home, garden, or private outside space you can invite up to ten guests to join you for a coffee or a meal (ten people in addition to those already residing in the home), or you can go to someone else's home if you're invited.

However, if you meet in a public place such as the street, or a bar or restaurant, there must be no more than ten of you in total. You must maintain a safe distance between your group and other groups, couples, or individuals at all times.

Travel on the Orihuela Costa, getting around

People from the same household can travel in a car but remember that you can only go into a shop on your own. You are limited only by the number of seats in the car and you aren't required by law to wear a face mask. There are different rules for people who do not live in the same household.

Similarly, people living in the same home can ride a motorcycle together as long as each is wearing a full-face safety helmet and protective riding gloves.

Remember that you must always stay within the Torrevieja health department. You cannot drive to a location within another health department even if that health department is also in Phase One, unless the law already allows you to do so, for instance, for the purposes of work or to provide essential care for a relative or dependent.

Other things you might need to know

The time slots for exercise will be maintained throughout this phase, but only for exercise, so you can go out for all other purposes at any time you choose. And remember that anyone showing outward signs of respiratory infection, or any person subject to a quarantine order must stay at home.

Zenia Boulevard shopping centre is forecast to reopen from Phase Two (Monday 25th May), and Orihuela Costa's beaches are scheduled to reopen to the public from Phase Three (Monday 8th June). Local golf courses are permitted to reopen from tomorrow morning.

Phase One of the de-escalation plan comes into effect on Monday 11th May with Orihuela Costa scheduled to reach Phase Two on Monday 25th May, subject to authorisation by the Department of Health and the government.

Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.

Photo credit: LaZenia.com

As a nation, Spain is beginning to reap the benefits of one of the world's most stringent national quarantines. Rates of overall SARS-CoV-2 infection are falling, tens of thousands of people are recovering from the disease, and recorded deaths are consistently low with just 268 deaths yesterday – the lowest daily figure since 20th March.

The Government introduced new rules last Sunday that allowed 6.3 million Spanish children under the age of 14-years to leave the family home after 42 days of confinement, and on Tuesday President Pedro Sánchez announced a phased strategy to eradicate all extraordinary public safety measures introduced to combat the coronavirus pandemic by the end of June.

Dubbed “the Transition Towards a New Normal”, the Spanish nation will enter the initial phase this weekend, and from tomorrow (Saturday 2nd May) all adults will be able to go outside for a walk or to take part in individual exercise.

But with Germany experiencing an upward turn in newly diagnosed coronavirus cases and the United Kingdom recording more total deaths due to COVID-19 than Spain, authorities in the country are vehemently determined to ensure that relaxation of quarantine rules doesn't lead to an unnecessary increase in infection.

With this in mind, the Minister for Health, Salvador Illa has introduced a fixed timetable to avoid overcrowding and the associated risk of coronavirus transmission.

The timetable allocates parts of the day to different groups of people to ensure that society's most vulnerable groups are protected. The new rules replace the newly introduced guidelines for parents with children.

Going out, solo sports outside of the home

From tomorrow morning, individual adults aged 14-years to 69-years wishing to exercise in public outside of their homes may do so between 6:00 and 10:00 in the morning or in the evening from 20:00 to 23:00.

Sports activity includes running, cycling, or jogging, limited to the boundaries of your municipal area, and people going out must take part in their sport alone and maintain social distancing of two metres away from others.

People going out for a walk can do so with one other person from their residential household and must stay within 1 km of the family home. It is currently not permitted to take a pet with you, so you can´t use this time to walk your dog.

There are no time limits for walking or individual sports beyond the times specified on the timetable but are always limited to one outside activity per day per person (walking or sports, but not both on the same day).

Families with children can now only go out between the hours of 12:00 until 19:00 once a day (instead of 09:00 until 21:00 as previously announced). The other rules continue to apply: only one parent is allowed to go out with up to three children, a maximum of one kilometre away from the family home, and just once a day.

New activity rules in force until Monday 11th May

According to Salvador Illa, it will be vital to keep the over 70s and the vulnerable separate from younger people to minimise the risk of contagion, so those over the age of 70 will be allowed to go out either from 10:00 until noon or from 19:00 to 20:00 – accompanied by one person from their family home.

The new rules will remain in force until the beginning of Phase One of the de-escalation plan, currently scheduled for Monday 11th May. In all cases, daily outside activity must occur just once and must take place within your municipality of residence. Wearing a mask is also recommended and please remember that beach areas remain strictly off-limits.

These new rights are additional to your existing rights, so you don't need to use your right to walk or take part in sports to do other things you need to do, like essential shopping, or visiting the pharmacy to collect or purchase medication. Please bear in mind you cannot use your vehicle to travel to a place for the purpose of walking or to take part in sporting activity.

Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.

Photo credit: LaZenia.com

We all have our part to play, and the only way we will see a return to the Spanish way of life that we love, is to stay at home and avoid any non-essential travel.

The extraordinary safety measures intended to stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection are important for all of us, and we must fulfil our responsibilities to self-isolate.

If we fail, we could face an extended period of isolation and that will undoubtedly prove catastrophic for many of the local businesses – in particular the shops, bars, and restaurants that we enjoy and rely on to provide us with essential everyday services.

Of course, we will all need to venture out for a multitude of reasons over the forthcoming days, so we all must know when we are allowed to leave our homes, and for what purposes.

We must have a lawful and essential reason to leave our homes

Right now, residents and visitors to the Orihuela Costa may leave their homes for the following essential purposes only:

• To go to work, or to return to their habitual place of residence
• To go to a supermarket to purchase food, beverages, and personal care products
• To go to an optician or to visit an orthopaedic doctor
• To go to a pharmacy to purchase or collect medication
• To attend a hospital, health centre or doctors surgery
• To visit an insurance broker, a bank, or to use an ATM
• To care for elderly or dependent persons or those with limited mobility
• To walk or exercise a pet, to buy food for a pet, or to visit a vets surgery

Dogs can be walked without prohibition but must be walked individually (on your own), and respecting the one-metre safe distance from other pet owners.

Visits to tobacconists and dry cleaners are allowable (the latter for sanitary reasons).

Stay at home, but if you absolutely must go out, go alone

Be aware that some public spaces such as supermarkets have introduced new public safety measures mandating the application of hand sanitiser before entering the premises, the use of plastic gloves whilst shopping, and sustaining a sufficient safe space between you and other patrons.

Keep an eye on areas around the entrance before entering the premises and follow instructions given by members of staff. Maintain your distance at all times, especially if you have to queue at the checkout.

If you need to go shopping, to the bank, or anywhere else, go alone. Don't go as a couple, or as a family, or with friends, unless it is essential that others go with you.

For instance, you may wish to help an elderly relative attend an appointment at the health centre if they suffer from personal mobility issues or they can't drive, but if you are unable to demonstrate an essential purpose for your presence you should not be there.

Providing companionship is not a lawful reason to avoid a government-mandated requirement to self-isolate and stay at home, and those travelling with others without an essential reason could face heavy fines.

For reasons of public safety, unnecessary travel is not permitted

If in any doubt stay at home and continue to self-isolate. Avoid crowds at all costs, and maintain a distance of at least one metre from other people at all times if you do need to venture outside.

Remember that unnecessary travel such as visiting neighbours, family or friends, jogging, taking part in any form of exercise or sport within a public place, or riding a bicycle purely for recreational purposes, is strictly prohibited whilst the State of Emergency remains in force. Those found violating public safety measures face the possibility of serious consequences.

On a lighter note, Browns Cocktail and Gastro Bar in La Zenia are offering a special menu with free delivery from 16:00 until 22:00 pm every day in the Orihuela Costa area. You can find the current menu on their Facebook page and place your order via Facebook Messenger or call them on +34 966 393 699.

Meantime, if you or someone you know thinks they have any symptoms of coronavirus infection or any flu-like symptoms whatsoever, do not go to a medical centre, a doctor's surgery, or a hospital. Instead, call +34 900 300 555 for assistance.

Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.

Photo credit: LaZenia.com

An announcement from Orihuela City council just yesterday means that the chiringuitos could be open from Friday 10th August, following the signing of the official contract this morning, allowing the company operating the bars a full week to organise staff and prepare for the grand reopening.

In addition to providing a full bar service and light refreshments to beachgoers, the chiringuitos are charged with offering public toilet facilities, sunbed and parasol hire, and are required to keep the beaches at all times to ensure a minimal negative impact on the delicate seafront environment they're located within.

Typically, the beach bars offer welcome shade from the sun. Constructed in an environmentally friendly design, the small kiosks provide a terrace and a kitchen serving snacks, tapas, a light lunch menu, and soft drinks or cocktails within a spectacular Mediterranean beachfront environment.

The bars are strategically located along the coastline to service the requirements of thousands of local residents and tourists enjoying the coastal paths, promenades, and walkways that adjoin the different towns and urbanisations, in areas otherwise devoid of local amenities.

Chiringuitos del Sol, the highest quality of service

Usually operating primarily between the springtime and November, the Orihuela Costa chiringuitos opened for business as usual in March earlier this year but closed their doors less than three weeks later due to administrative and licencing complications.

The closures affected all 11 beach bars in the popular Spanish beach resorts of Aguamarina, Mil Palmeras, La Caleta, Punta Prima, La Glea, La Mosca, Playa Flamenca, Cala Capitán and Barranco Rubio, including La Zenia's two chiringuitos on Cala Cerrada and Cala Bosque beach.

Initially, the process of reopening the Orihuela Costa chiringuitos was expected to take a minimum of two and a half months to complete, leaving local beaches bereft of services from mid-April until at least the beginning of July.

Authorities have been keen to reestablish the beach bars as soon as possible to avoid any impact upon the coveted Blue Flag status the award-winning beaches currently enjoy, with on-site services, access and safety, water quality, and public information and education, all major components of the global awards process.

On Tuesday 24th July the popular online news platform Diario de la Vega reported that the Orihuela Costa beach bars would be reopened “in August”.

The following day the same news outlet reported that the contracting committee had awarded the contract to operate the beach bars to Chiringuitos del Sol, the same company responsible for managing the Orihuela Costa chiringuitos prior to the closures earlier in the year.

Orihuela Costa chiringuitos, beach bars reopened for the summer

Diario de la Vega stated that the committee had calculated that Chiringuitos del Sol offered both the best tender and the highest quality of service, and the company had bid €891,178 per annum to operate the 11 beach bars, the highest amount ever paid for a company to operate the service.

Local media outlets suggested that the contract term had been agreed at 4 years, meaning that the beach services could potentially be secure until at least the end of the 2021 high tourist season and that the Orihuela Costa chiringuitos could resume services as soon as 10th August.

But the official announcement from Orihuela City Council came just yesterday, when the Councilor of Beaches, Luisa Boné, clarified that the contract would be signed with Chiringuitos del Sol this morning and will remain valid for four years, ending on 31st December 2021.

Chiringuitos del Sol had operated the beach bars under licence since 2014, and the management team were revered locally for their welcoming hospitality and an entertaining programme of events and live music throughout the summer months.

It is hoped that whatever complications occurred over the past few months, both residents and summer holiday tourists will be overjoyed at the reopening of the beach bars, and that the chiringuitos may continue to provide their valued service for years to come.

Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.

Photo credit: LaZenia.com

Larger commercial centres and shopping malls in South Costa Blanca have been allowed to trade seven days a week since October 2013.

However, an amendment to the law that regulates opening hours and Sunday trading passed two years ago in March 2015 comes into effect tomorrow.

The Valencian Parliament approved the amendment earlier this month and dictates that large shops and shopping centres can open on only 40 Sundays and public holidays each year.

The measures have a direct effect on Zenia Boulevard in La Zenia, the Habaneras Shopping Centre in Torrevieja, and large retailers in Pilar de la Horadada.

And perhaps unusually, the modification to the law does not moderate opening times during the months of July, August or September, when Spain expects the annual influx of tourists.

Local news outlets have been reporting an expected increase in the number of shoppers predicted to travel to alternative shopping malls based in Murcia, particularly the Dos Mares commercial centre in San Javier, just 15 km from Zenia Boulevard.

The change in legislation does not affect smaller businesses, and recreational facilities, cafes, and restaurants at Zenia Boulevard will all remain open tomorrow as usual.

However, the Costa Blanca's favourite shopping centre is standing firm with a live music show at 13:00 tomorrow performed by Abba Elite, a tribute act to the legendary Swedish pop icons.

Zenia Boulevard has produced an opening hours calendar for 2018 highlighting which days are affected by the change in legislation, and which days visitors can expect full retail service.

Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.

Photo credit: LaZenia.com