The Nerja Business Association (AEN) which represents many of the small businesses in Nerja, have been fined 3,000 Euros by the Andalucian regional government (Junta de Andalucia) for organising the Feria de Oportunidades back in February.

The Feria was held in the marquee used for the previous weeks carnival events and consisted of various small stalls selling goods at ‘outlet’ prices. The Junta claims that the fair contravened the Andalucian Trading Act, which prohibits shops larger than 300 square metres in size from opening on a Sunday. Although the individual stalls were smaller than this size, the marquee that the event was held in was bigger than 300m2, hence the justification for the fine.

According to the spokesman for the AEN this is the first sanction to be imposed on a fair of this type in Andalucia, despite these fairs being common elsewhere. The spokesman went on to say that the fine is a “hard blow to the finances of the association, especially in these times of crisis” and stated that as a result they have decided to postpone the next sales fair due to be held in September.

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You would think, given the state of our economy, the Junta de Andalucia would exercise a little common sense but it seems even this is beyond them. It seems our regional governmental bodies and town councils are so strapped for cash they are bringing into force any rule they can in order to bring in - regardless of the long term consequences.
by Eliza

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