Protestors have turned out in their hundreds in Spain’s Benidorm as they march on the Town Hall in the Costa Blanca

This morning (Sunday) hundreds of protestors have hit to the streets to demonstrate about the recent regulations posed on them from the government.

The Spanish holiday town of Benidorm, which is normally thriving at this time of year of thousands of tourists, today is seeing a demonstration from both British expat businesses owners and Spanish traders, against the new regulations laid on the town, that they feel is destroying their business activities.

Despite the fact the Coronavirus in Spain are spiralling, with Valencia on Friday recording a new high level of infections, business owners in Benidorm itself, feel the town is safe and that the current regulations in the fight against the deadly virus are not required.

Nightlife is an important part of Benidorm, although the government in Spain have locked down all night clubs and discoteques whilst at the same time the British government advise UK citizens not to travel to Spain, including Benidorm.

Traders in Benidorm, also have been hit hard with new regulations, despite the fact, at first, they cited it as “fake news” when plans were released in the Spanish ex-pat media. Now the reality is hitting home and it’s further impacting their dwindling businesses, to the degree of many closing for good, due to the lack of revenues in the normally vibrant town, the traders and members of the Benidorm pubic are out in protest in regards the regulations they thought were “fake news” and wouldn’t apply to them.

A good turn out of hundreds of people, many displaying banners started a march from Hotel Cimbel at 11 am and are protesting peacefully throw the town and heading to finish at the governing body Town Hall in Benidorm.

Global247news spoke to a demonstrator whilst marching this morning to gather their views and he said:

“We need to have our voice heard, these regulations are killing our businesses, killing our livelihoods when the reality is all of us in this town have taken every precaution to make it safe”

” These heavy restrictions came from nowhere, ok there were a few rumours in the media here and we didn’t think they were true, but bang in they came with no warning from officials, for many, these new regulations are the death of a business, the officials continue to kick us whilst we are down”

“All they have done for us, prior to this march, is reduce terrace tax, well that’s not good enough, there’s no one here to sit on terraces anyway, and if you do its over-regulated and the police are heavy-handed fining everyone”

A local resident who turned out to offer his full support, clapping the protestors as they went by said:

” Well done to them all, they have had a really rough time of it of late, in fact, 2020 has been a disaster and the latest regulations are the final nail on the head, they need to vent their frustration and it appears to be organised very well, whether anything comes of it who knows but at least they have got their voice heard and point across – I take my hat off to them all, there’s more than I expected too”

Today’s protest has been well represented with no doubt the authorities of the town taking notice and it will be interesting to see if they actually listen.

Many of the banners were asking for IVA (VAT) to be reduced with many other suggestions in the peaceful demonstration.

British bar owner Kevin Davies said: “IVA is the first thing that should be reduced, if not abolished as well as many more incentives, if we don’t get incentives, this town will die”

“It’s time for the politicians to step up to the table and save this town” he demonstrated.

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