Is the glass half empty or half full? This is what the eight chiringuito owners on the Motril beach have been asking themselves of late.

The coastal authorities have sent down a directive that prohibits the chiringuitos from operating on the beach itself and, if they wish to remain in business, they will have to move their businesses between 10 to 30 metres further back next to the promenade.

Francisco Trujillo of the Association of Chiringuitos, after studying and evaluating what measures will have to be taken by them, has resigned himself to the fact that the glass may well be half full. Firstly, if the businesses are next to the promenade he hopes that more people will be tempted to stop off for a drink or meal whereas, at the moment, they depend on a good sunny day to get people off the promenade and into their restaurants. It could mean that they open all year round, if they can get the clientele and with it the quality of the restaurants.

Secondly, if the weather is bad many of the restaurants get swamped with water which means they have to close anyway, so by moving back to the promenade, it would give them an opportunity to create new and modern eating environments. One chiringuito owner voiced her concerns by saying that it was a great economic investment to make “in a zone that is not as touristic as others.”

Only time will give these owners the answer but for the moment it is envisaged that the old chiringuitos will operate as usual while the new ones are being built and it is hoped they will be open for summer 2011.