Chiringuito la Dorada de Plata on San Cristóbal Beach in Almuñécar has reopened it doors at last after spending three months closed with its staff out of work.
The closure was the result of an occupant of a vacacional flat near Chinasol complaining about the smell of sardines coming from the chiringuito’s espeto boat. Bear in mind that whereas chiringuitos were allowed to BBQ sardines (espetos) over a small pit for a fire in the sand, they all had to go to the expense of putting the open wood-coal BBQs within raised structures, normally an old rowing boat or something made to look like one.
The owner of the Dorada de Plata has had to build a pergola over the BBQ boat with an extractor in its roof, which everybody knows won’t make much difference if there is a breeze blowing but at least it should satisfy the idiotocracy within bureaucracy.
It was in 2019 that the Town Hall sent a letter to the owners of chiringuitos with wood-coal BBQs telling them to do something about the smoke and smell. Most were able to get round it with extractors
El Chiringuito La Dorada de Plata first opened its door in 1966 long before people, who come in the summer, started complaining about one of the essences of summers on a beach. Back then, fishermen would land with their catch and then grill some of it, right there on the beach… and nobody complained, in fact tourists would be out there clicking away with cameras to have a photo of this ‘typically Spanish’ custom. Well, La Dorada de Plata has been grilling sardines over an open, wood-coal BBQ ever since… until last October.
Well, no thanks to the person who complained about the smell of smoke and sardines, 18 families who depended on the chiringuito to put food on their table with their wages, can return to work.
It will never cease to amaze many of us that people come to the coast to spend their summer holidays, looking for peace and quiet…
(Editorial/Opinion: Almunecar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)
My suggestion would be that you must be registered to the local padrón for at least 5 years before being qualified to make any complaints on environmental matters (noise/smells/smoke) parking or traffic congestion etc.
Come on The reason we go through the nightmare of airports is to breath the air and to absorb the ambiance of somewhere different I love the simple and relaxed atmosphere of southern Spain I get every country, town, city has their problems But to anyone who complains about the smell of someone trying their best DO ONE
PS I would wager they have eaten there
Viva Victoria Malaga
Whatever building s/he can smell the sardines in, it wasn’t there in 1966! I came to Almuñécar in 1966 and much of that beach was still dominated by sugar cane, albeit on the way out at that point. (The azucarera emitted a funny smell as I recall.)
Unfortunately, modern life and venerable tradition can come face to face and sometimes tradition has to give way. In this case, if I were getting the scent of bbq’d sardines every night, I would complain also.
I am shocked that it seems that a lone voice can change life that has been continuing for decades and almost a way of life with no problems. For us the smell of summer is the smell of sardines on a BBQ and how you can complain over a smell of food when you have an apartment near to the resturants is beyond me. I think the complaint law throughout Europe is a joke. I am sure it would make sense to have a set number of complaints and once it has reached it then action should be taken place. Thus reducing wasted hours looking into the problem which could be focused on other matters and thus againing an insight on what actually matters to the public.
My only complaint of the smell would be ………………. I am hungry, again
Well at least they will be open for the long summer period. Quite a few places shut down in the winter months. Workers go onto unemployment. So summer very very busy and winter decorating.
Maybe someday, something will be done about the smokescreen over the Salobreña-Lobres-Motril valley.
Although as it’s traditional, farming burn off, I doubt it. After all, it would cost loads to sort out the cuttings and compost or deal with them. Easier, I guess, to just burn.