Two months without a canteen at senior centre in Orihuela

Elderly residents who regularly rely on the Nuestra Señora de Monserrate Municipal Senior Center cafeteria have been left without access to the facility following its closure for at least two months. The management contract was originally awarded on May 24th, 2024, with section 8.e of the technical specifications stating that any contractor wishing to suspend operations prior to contract expiry must give three months’ written notice to both the City Council and management. According to the Cambiemos party, there is no official record that such notification was ever submitted.

The political group intends to press the local administration during the upcoming plenary session last Thursday, 22nd October , demanding complete clarity over the disruption. Councilman Quique Montero has formally requested information detailing why the service was interrupted, what precise actions the City Council is pursuing to restore operations, and the exact timeframe for when the cafeteria will reopen.

Additionally, Cambiemos has uncovered details suggesting the original concessionaire may have transferred management rights of the canteen to a third party, which reportedly went bankrupt. The group has called upon the PP-Vox coalition government to clarify whether this transfer occurred, whether official municipal authorization was granted, and whether the venture satisfied all legal standards set out in public sector contract legislation and tender specifications.

Further complications surrounding the premises involve reports of a potential sanction issued by Public Health inspectors. It is understood the sanction was handed down after the management failed to formalize the transfer of business ownership to the third party. Cambiemos stressed that if these details are verified, it places the legality of the administrative procedures in serious doubt, reinforcing the urgent need to ensure all operations adhere to required legal and administrative safeguards.

This total suspension of service directly impacts the daily lives of local elderly visitors who depend on the facilities. When approached regarding the ongoing closure, the City Council declined to comment immediately, reserving its full response until the plenary session.

This is not the first time the cafeteria has faced disruption. Under the preceding contract, operations ended in 2022 when the City Council evicted the previous concessionaire. That firm had continued to run the venue without a valid agreement after its contract expired in 2017. Furthermore, the previous firm accrued a debt of more than 17,205€ owed to the local Administration for unpaid operating fees between 2012 and 2016.