Glenn Wickman
FIVE rice restaurants on Valencia’s Malvarrosa beach will be demolished to make way for ‘greener’ buildings that are more integrated into the surroundings.
The green light was given this week to knock down the eateries La alegria de la huerta, El bobo, Luz de luna, Alma and El trompo – the first of 12 establishments on the city’s main beach to be razed and replaced.
Widely recognised as one of the Malvarrosa’s main attractions for visitors and residents alike, the restaurants will face the wrecking ball from October, after the summer campaign has ended.
They will be immediately rebuilt with designs and materials that blend in more with the environment – a requirement by the national coastal authorities to maintain the diners on public land.
Swapping the old concrete blocks for ‘smoother’ constructions fits in with the city council’s plans for a general overhaul of the seafront promenade, aimed at making it more ecological by scrapping ‘hard’ buildings, recovering the natural sand dune network, and introducing more vegetation.
The restaurant revamp will cost an estimated €800,000 and will take place in two stages to ensure that there is no shortage of service.
Establishment owners are reportedly delighted with the move, which they believe will make the area more attractive and help boost their businesses.
Changes will include moving the open-air terraces up to the first floor and fitting solar panels on the roofs, which will enable the restaurants to increase their capacity from 150 to 200 customers at a time.
READ MORE:
- GREEN BEACH BARS: Gandia announces plans for first eco-friendly chiringuitos in Spain
- The history of Spain’s iconic chiringuitos
