Radical measures in the form of fines for reserving beach seats have been announced by the authorities of the popular Spanish resort of Benidorm, the British newspaper Express reported.
The resort town has been embroiled in a bitter row over beach reservations, sparking outrage on social media. Residents and cultural vacationers alike are unhappy that the beaches are overrun with sunbathers who take the best spots right by the water early in the morning and return to the coast in just a few hours.
According to a statement from Benidorm’s local council, it has become common practice not only at the pool but also on the beaches for holidaymakers to spread out their towels, umbrellas, and sunbeds to “reserve” the best spots. For some, it has already become a kind of “ritual” and they even use carts and shopping carts to fence off a section of the beach strip for themselves and no one else could claim it.
The local council stated that the problem of reserving places is at once on all beaches of the resort — everywhere the situation generally resembles the desire to occupy the “first row”.
Many concerned tourists have repeatedly expressed their outrage about this, saying that this kind of thing drives them crazy. And beach council member Monica Gomez said the following about the “wars for sunbeds”: “We take this problem seriously and are taking measures to solve it.”
What did the government invent?
Resort officials declared the first six meters from the water to the sand a prohibited zone for sunbeds and other beach paraphernalia. This area should always be free for those who bathe and want to walk freely along the coastline. The amount of fines has not yet been announced.
The Benidorm council also gave residents the right to vote and allowed them to remove towels, sunbeds, umbrellas and other items occupied in unauthorized areas. However, as it was specified, the locals are already taking the initiative into their own hands, sometimes cleaning the beach area if no one appears in the specified beach inventory place for several hours.
However, not all tourists agree with the authorities’ decision. “Why should I bother? Allow people to get up early and take seats where they want,” they were indignant.