A ‘chiringuito’ is a bar/restaurant on the actual beach and these establishments have been in the eye of the hurricane for some time now as Spain has fought with policy on how to control them.

For several years now, the government has been trying to improve the condition of its coastline; that is, to avoid further exploitation which for decades has ruined much of the coast. Thus, the chiringuitos have been targeted but policy has never been fully carried out, as these establishments are extremely popular.

Anyway, from January 1st, control of them is supposed to pass from the Central Government to the Regional Government, which in the case of Andalucía means they will call the shots, but many still doubt this will actually come to pass.

Beef number one from critics and law-makers is that they should not be located on the beach. Some of them are temporary structures, so moving them is little problem, but many are permanent structures, so moving them is much more of an issue. But why move them at all?

As long as they follow basic rules, they serve the public well and do no harm, and generate jobs and local income. And it’s not as if you can’t see the beach or sea for the chiringuitos, unlike the plethora of ugly housing and hotels that have contributed to the decline of the West, er; I mean coast.