Last weekend, agents from the environment ministry went to the chiringuito beach bar at Cala Torta, Arta after the town hall notified the ministry that the bar had reopened. Its licence expired at the end of July last year and there has as yet been no notification as to its renewal or indeed denial from the Costas Authority.
The bar continued to operate for the whole of last summer, despite its situation having been "irregular" and Arta town hall having let the relevant authorities know. Environmentalists GOB have also drawn attention to its irregularity.
The chiringuito has existed since 1968. It doesn't now comply with regulations regarding structures in protected natural zones. Cala Torta is, for example, a place of community interest and a zone for bird protection. These regulations decree that bars such as this one must be demountable and not permanent structures. The chiringuitos on Es Trenc beach were affected by these regulations, were demolished and replaced by temporary bars.
The town hall, which has responsibility for the bar's concession, wants to go ahead with the demolition and replacement. There is financial provision for this from the government's fund for tourist accommodation places (just over 150,000 euros). The environment ministry will meanwhile be forwarding a report from its agents to the responsible body (the Costas) and will then consider what action should be taken.
