Benidorm Mayor, Agustin Navarro met with the promoter and representatives of the proposed new market along the N332 – a Dutch company "Outlet Market C.B" last Friday morning. The 2,500 sq mt plot, located opposite the ITV vehicle testing station and just before the nightclubs has been cleared and leveled, but the Council have now withdrawn its support for the project after mass opposition from local traders. One of the things which remain unchanged here are the weekly street markets - but how many does one town need?

It was discovered that rather than a specialized antique market, which they were led to believe it would be - and what the Council gave the green light to, it was instead going to be a general market. There was mass opposition from both local traders and those that trade on the two current outdoor markets – there is also El Cisne rastro, which is only a few hundred metres up the road from the proposed new location.

Benidorm Council gave the initial green light for an antique market and not a general rastro of used and new goods – however, a subsequent application for authorization from the Regional Government was worded differently from the original. Any project over 2,500 sq mt needs additional authorization from the Regional Government in addition to a green light from the Council concerned.

The Mayor reiterated the fact that Benidorm does not need a third market but the Dutch promoters insist that it will not affect their trade. They told the Mayor that they will seek legal action against the Council if the project is obstructed.
It certainly looks as if this will be a long drawn out saga...

Don´t forget that the two outdoor markets are on twice weekly – Wednesday and Sunday. One is by the Hotel Pueblo in the Rincon and the other by the railway station in the Old Town. In addition there is El Cisne every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday plus the indoor market, which is open 6 days a week in the Rincon de Loix. Surely another market would dilute business further – and this one was planned to be open 4 days per week.

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