Málaga City Council has unanimously approved not to charge the terrace occupancy fee to businesses on the Pedregalejo seafront, affected by the extension of the works until November. This measure represents a saving of €143,000 for the local hospitality industry.
Málaga City Council has decided not to charge the terrace occupancy fee to businesses on the Pedregalejo seafront while the renovation works are ongoing, which have been delayed by three months and will now extend until November. The measure, unanimously approved in the Economy and Finance Commission held this Monday, represents an economic relief of €143,000 for local hospitality businesses, as confirmed by the Councillor for Commerce, Elisa Pérez de Siles.
“That amount is in the pockets of the merchants,” noted Pérez de Siles, who defended the initiative as a way to “help with effective measures” in light of the inconveniences caused by the works. The councillor reminded that the interventions “are carried out to improve and revitalise the neighbourhoods” and that the government team is “empathetic” towards those affected. In addition to the fee exemption, the City Council has also implemented other support measures, such as free parking in the area.
The motion was presented by the PSOE and defended by Councillor Lorena Doña, who lamented the “economic hardship” suffered by the self-employed in Pedregalejo. Doña cited establishments like the hamburger restaurant Mafalda or Miguelito el Cariñoso, which “are in a very bad situation that has left them completely devastated.” According to the socialist councillor, some small self-employed individuals “have been unable to work for almost a year, without any income.”
Doña called for the City Council to conduct a study on the economic impact of public works on small businesses and residents, warning that this issue “is not new.” Nevertheless, she extended a hand to the government team after amendments that “do not substantially change the spirit of help” of the motion. “We are here to support, to lend a hand,” she concluded.
The Councillor for Commerce emphasised that meetings with the hospitality employers' association Mahos are “constant and weekly” and that they are held “across all areas,” so entrepreneurs are not lacking information. Furthermore, Pérez de Siles assured that the City Council “is studying options to help entrepreneurs make the investments they need” during the works.
The works on the Pedregalejo seafront have incurred additional costs of €850,000 over the initial project, and their completion has been delayed until November, directly affecting hospitality activity during the summer season. The exemption of the terrace fee is one of the first concrete measures to mitigate the economic impact in the area.
Pedregalejo merchants hope that this assistance will be complemented by other actions, such as speeding up the works or promoting the neighbourhood during the construction. So far, the City Council has not detailed whether the measures will be extended beyond the fee exemption and free parking.
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