Roundtown asks the Mayor
Roundtown asks the Mayor
(Benidorm)  Mayor of Benidorm, Augustin Navarro, took time out of his busy schedule to meet with Roundtown recently and we were very impressed because our appointment was scheduled for 7pm one chilly Monday evening in December – and we weren’t the last on his long list that day judging by the amount of people in the plush waiting room.

 

The town hall is the emblematic building located at the very end of the Avenida Mediterraneo, just under the bridge, to the right. And the Mayor’s chambers housed on the first floor of the town hall are impressive; the walls are lined with portraits of the dozen or so Mayors who have headed the town since its growth from a fishing town in the 50’s to the most important tourist town in Spain today with around 6 million tourists per year.
The Mayor’s office itself is huge – spanning a large part of the forecourt that lies below and with the blaring music and twinkling lights from the winter wonderland that sparkled outside, we chatted amicably. There’s nothing like getting it from the horses mouth so to speak and after months of speculation we wanted to know just what’s going on at the back of the town, next to the motorway tolls.
The Mayor explained that, as rumoured, it is indeed an industrial estate – similar to the one a bit further up the road towards Alicante where Iceland is.
So why two industrial estates so close to each other?
Well the answer is quite obvious; the current retail park (where Iceland is) sits within the boundaries of neighbouring town Finestrat, so all the taxes from the businesses land in Finestrat’s coffers when Benidorm would rather they landed in theirs. The solution? To build a similar industrial estate to entice companies to open new branches in the Benidorm boundaries.
So is it true that there will be another shopping mall too?
Measuring his words carefully so as not to upset the Benidorm association of shopkeepers (AICCO) with whom he enjoys a good relationship he admitted that there is a company anxious to build a mall – the same company who has long since been after opening a mall just down the road at the Alfaz crossroads.
So, two new malls within spitting distance?
Apparently not. It’s one or the other. The problem lies with the traffic; the motorway access road is often clogged with traffic and the tailbacks at the crossroads at Alfaz are legendary and the last thing either section of road needs is the excess traffic a shopping mall will create. Consequently, the Mayor told Roundtown that the shopping mall company has allegedly said that whichever of the two towns that can sort the traffic issue first will get the mall.
So now it’s a race against the clock to sort it as the jobs a shopping mall would provide for either town in these difficult times, not to mention the income from taxes is crucial.
All in all a fruitful meeting we felt and an easy answer once we were in front of the right person. Furthermore, our new best friend has promised to answer any questions we put to him (no surprise there since it’s election year and he wants our votes!). But no matter – this is a great ime to get some answers to our questions readers; so come on - what do you want to know? Email your questions for the Mayor to mail@roundtown.info or ask us on facebook; go to www.facebook.com/roundtownbenidorm

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