Work has now started to repair the new market site in Almijara which was badly damaged by the September 21st 2007 floods.
The new site, which will have 205 permanent market stalls, toilet facilities, parking for vendors and visitors and a Local Police office, suffered substantial damage to the asphalted areas during the devastating floods last September.
The repair work is being carried out by ECUR, the same company who initially built the site. Completion is expected within six weeks.
Once the repairs are completed, preparations can be made for moving the market from its current El Chaparil location to the new site. However, don’t count your chickens.
The whole plan to move the market has caused quite a controversy. The residents of the El Chaparil area have been complaining for years about the market, citing safety and security issues, the blocking of doorways and parking problems as a good reason for the market to move, and the Nerja Council agrees. The Council are also supported by the AEN, the local Employers Association.
However, the market traders are vehemently opposed to the move, citing safety and security issues, parking difficulties, distance from the centre of town and economic reasons for not wanting to move. The whole affair has now been referred to the Ombudsman.
In theory, at least, the move is just that little bit closer.