Nerja’s very popular beach bar and restaurant, Papagayo, on Calahonda beach, next to the Balcon de Europa has been told that they will be unable to reopen this spring after their winter break, as Nerja council have changed the classification of the land the restaurant stands on. According to the owner of the bar, Jean Pierre Torriglia, the news was given to him by the council only a few weeks before he was due to reopen, costing him thousands in wasted rent over the winter months, after closing at the end of the 2014 season in October. “I pay almost €3,000 a month in rent, which I have been paying all of the winter, only for them to tell me that I am not going to be able to reopen, although I think they knew this for a long time”, Jean Pierre lamented.
Papagayos was also fined €6,000 for excessive noise back in October, despite John Pierre claiming that no neighbours had in fact complained. Apparently the size of the bar does not match the size shown on its original plans from 1967, “although I have a (council) license from 2010” claimed the owner. The lease on the bar was due to run out in 2019 and Jean Pierre Torriglia feels that he has been tricked by the council who want to get their hands on the land “after more than 25 years of work”.
Posters have gone up around the bar, saying “Fighting against the expropriation of Papagayos by the council”.
The council want to compulsory purchase the land that Papagayo sits on and extend the beach to the cliff face, at the same time creating a new cliff path to replace the old Paseo de los Carabineros, which used to run from Calahonda to Burriana beach. The council’s €150,000 plan would create a new 200 metre path, starting where Papagayos currently sits. The old cliff path was closed due to dangerous rock falls and the council have been planning its replacement for several years.
More on the plans for the new Paseo de los Carabineros.
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