The beach bars in Elche will be late opening this summer. The absence of these establishments in Arenales del Sol, El Altet, El Carabassí, El Pinet, La Marina, and El Rebollo has generated doubts and complaints among residents and beachgoers, who are wondering if they will even open this year, as they typically do so between March and May. The Councillor for Tourism and Beaches, Irene Ruiz, assures that there will be activity, although she admits that the process has been delayed due to the need to re-tender all the concessions and the prior authorisation from the Coastal Authority.
“Yes, there will be beach bars; in fact, we are currently in the bidding process,” the councillor explained. Ruiz noted that the final envelope, containing the financial bids, was opened last week and that there were proposals for all the lots. “All the lots were included, meaning there were bids for every lot, so none of them went unawarded,” she stated.
Beach bars usually have operating licences between March and October, but this year they won’t be able to open until July. The councillor attributes the delay to the expiration of the previous contract. She explains that this year there was no possibility of extending the previous agreement, so the City Council has had to restart the entire process for the nine beach bars planned for the Elche coastline.
“This year it was delayed because there was no longer any possibility of extending the concession contract,” Ruiz points out. “All the extensions had already been used up, so this year we had to put all the lots out to tender again, that is, all nine beach bars or kiosks,” she adds.
The councillor clarified that the City Council could not proceed with the new tender without the approval of the Coastal Authority, as the facilities are located on public maritime-terrestrial land. According to Ruiz, this permit arrived later than expected. “The Coastal Authority gave us that authorisation very late, at the end of April. Therefore, we haven’t been able to launch the tender because we didn’t have the Coastal Authority’s permission,” she stated.
The councillor even maintains that one of the facilities was at risk because of the lack of authorisation. “In fact, one of the beach bars, I think it was the one in La Marina, was in danger of not being awarded the concession because the Coastal Authority wouldn’t grant us the permit,” she points out.
The process is now in the documentation request phase for the companies that have submitted bids. Afterwards, the public consultation periods and the procedures typical of public procurement must be observed.
Ruiz estimates that the opening could come in early July, although she admits the schedule will be tight. “In 15 days it’s going to be very tight, but I think that in about 20 days, by the beginning of July, if nothing happens and public procurement doesn’t cause any problems, I think we’ll be able to have the beach bars open,” she says.
The delay has caused frustration among regular beachgoers, especially in Arenales del Sol, El Altet, El Carabassí, El Pinet, La Marina, and El Rebollo. Some residents lament that these establishments have been unavailable since the start of the warmer months and point out that they provide a valuable service for beachgoers, visitors, and residents during peak season.
Beach bars are part of the seasonal services that traditionally accompany the activities along the Elche coastline. In addition to offering drinks and food, the packages include areas with sunbeds and parasols, with sizes varying depending on the beach, the month, and the season.
The new tender includes nine lots with a maximum value of 270,000 euro and the possibility of a one-year extension, provided that the fee payments are made and the Coastal Authority grants its authorisation. Arenales del Sol has three of the facilities, four if Carabassí beach, one of the most popular in the municipality, is included. The beach bars must maintain a uniform aesthetic, with wooden huts, natural materials, neutral colours, and white sunbeds, with the aim of reducing their visual impact on the coastline. Noise limits are also in place, and live performances are not permitted.
Generally, the sunbed and parasol areas will be open from Monday to Sunday between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM. Beach bars will be open from 9:00 AM to midnight, while music can be played from 11:00 AM until midnight. Each kiosk will have an area of 70 square metres, including the terrace. The sunbed and parasol areas will range from 210 to 630 square metres. The largest area is located in El Carabassí, while other areas in Arenales and La Marina will be around 420 square metres.
The El Carabassí lot has the highest fee, at 75,814.77 euro, and an operating period of seven and a half months, from March 15 to October 31. Other lots with high fees include Arenales del Sol, at 66,375 euro, and La Marina, at 58,660.27 euro.
The length of the season will vary depending on the location. Two of the three beach bars in Arenales del Sol and the one in La Marina will be able to operate until November 30th. The rest will operate until the end of October, except for the one in El Altet, whose authorisation will be extended until the end of September.
The Elche City Council is confident that the contract will be awarded in the coming weeks and that the facilities will be operational by the beginning of July. Until then, Elche’s beaches face the start of the season without services that are a staple of the Elche coastline each summer and that many look forward to.
