# Entertainers and Bars Fined on Costa Blanca for Live Entertainment



## showtime (Jul 30, 2014)

The Epidemic That is Sweeping Spain’s Costa Blanca

There has been a virus that has now reached epidemic proportions on Spain’s Costa Blanca area. Away from the bright lights, bars and hotel of Benidorm, where entertainment is readily available to everyone, there is a very different Spain not more than one hour’s drive away.

Below Alicante, thousands of expats from all over Europe have made new lives by buying homes and business. Many now risk having their livelihoods and life savings destroyed by daily closure and fining of bars who have live entertainment. With Spain’s economy being based on the tourist Euro this lack of entertainment is having a dire effect on everyone who lives there. 

As a mainly residential and holiday home area, places like Cuidad Quesada and Los Montesinos and other areas depend on income mainly made during the holiday season from holiday lets and the residents who live all year round in these areas. But all that is now in danger with local police having to close and fine local businesses that have had live entertainment because one or two people complained. One local bar was recently fined a crippling 3 thousand Euros. There is an irony in the laws concerning live music it seems as during the summer months in particular there are fiestas in every town in village along the Costa with very loud live music being played until, in some cases 6am. 

Many people came to Spain expecting to enjoy the good life, which included being able to go out of an evening and sit in the sun to enjoy live music. That is now getting to be a thing of the past, and with the reduction in bars that are allowed to have live entertainment many acts are returning to the UK. Houses now stand empty or sit for years with for sale notices on them, and all business in the effected area struggle from day to day in the hope that something will change, or until they too have to give up and “go home”.

A group was recently set up to discuss this problem in the hope that a solution can be found on Facebook. Keep Entertainment Live on The Costa Blanca received over 800 members in the first 24 hours of its creation, and members are working towards creating awareness of the sad situation and decline of what for most people who moved to Spain a better and more relaxed lifestyle. Sadly it seems that many will not be able to achieve this dream.

Since writing this, we now have over 1100 members. Benidorm has also been hit as is Javea to name but a few. What would you like to see happen, and how do you think if effects our tourist industry?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

I live in Jávea - & there have been some well-publicised 'police raids' on bars with live entertainment - at least one resulting in a fine of several 1000€

sadly - they hadn't applied for a license & another bar complained (if there hadn't been a complaint the police here tend to turn a blind eye though, as long as there are no other problems )

a license for live entertainment costs just 6€ per event here - & they are VERY rarely refused - so what's the problem with applying for one?

also, many of the entertainers are - or were - working on the black

maybe for the odd gig that's fine - but most are making a very good living indeed working most nights


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Thanks for putting the other side of the story XC.

Though licenses being revoked because one or two neighbours complain does sound horribly like England ...


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Thanks for putting the other side of the story XC.
> 
> Though licenses being revoked because one or two neighbours complain does sound horribly like England ...


afaik licenses haven't been revoked in Jávea because of complaints

yes the police will attend if there are complaints - but will only stop an event if the terms of the license are being broken

I do know of cases of them turning up to stop events before they were finished - but after midnight for instance when the license is until midnight........ & again - generally that only happens when someone complains

sadly, certainly on the main 'live music' area of Jávea, the Arenal, there is bad feeling between some bars & complaints are made on a regular basis

if a complaint is made, the police _*have to *_attend 

& it's not just entertainment - there's a law which says that bars & restaurants must keep their outside furniture within certain area limits (for which they pay a licence) & must have a certain colour & type of outside furniture

friends of mine were reported time & again by a neighbouring bar for breaking the rules - almost daily - the police attended every time - not once were they found to be breaking the rules, although the first time one poor waiter spent a few hours scrubbing the 'Mahou' logo off of the chairs & tables - would you believe that's against the rules  - but they weren't fined - the police woman just said that they needed to do it, so they did 

btw that's part of the _ley de la costa , _not a Jávea law specifically


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## showtime (Jul 30, 2014)

Our members do not have the same experience as you do xabiachica. They are working legally with all the right paperwork, which most of the bars they work in do too. The sound levels are being kept low, and still they are being picked on. Many of the bar owners may be complaining against each other, but it only takes one person to denounce to make many people lose their wages and ruin everyone else' s fun.

As for making such a good living - I wonder why so many acts are going back to the UK then? These guys pay 250 Euros a month before they start earning and then there is the cost of their equipment, petrol and all the other expenses incurred just to get out of the door. They work in a seasonal job, so if they don't make their money during high season, then most wont be around in the winter or for the next one. 

These people are the life blood of tourism in Spain. You lose the punter, you lose the business, and all the ones that rely on it from beer to food, cars, advertising, and house sales. You name it - its gone when the tourist industry suffers.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

showtime said:


> Our members do not have the same experience as you do xabiachica. They are working legally with all the right paperwork, which most of the bars they work in do too. The sound levels are being kept low, and still they are being picked on. Many of the bar owners may be complaining against each other, but it only takes one person to denounce to make many people lose their wages and ruin everyone else' s fun.
> 
> As for making such a good living - I wonder why so many acts are going back to the UK then? These guys pay 250 Euros a month before they start earning and then there is the cost of their equipment, petrol and all the other expenses incurred just to get out of the door. They work in a seasonal job, so if they don't make their money during high season, then most wont be around in the winter or for the next one.
> 
> These people are the life blood of tourism in Spain. You lose the punter, you lose the business, and all the ones that rely on it from beer to food, cars, advertising, and house sales. You name it - its gone when the tourist industry suffers.


yes I agree - one complaint will ruin the fun - but only if the terms of the license are broken

I know quite a few entertainers - legal ones - they have other work off-season, so that's how they survive

I too am self-employed & my autónomo payments are higher than that - & the main part of my work is also 'seasonal' in that in summer there really isn't enough to make it worthwhile - so I 'baja' for that time, take a long holiday, & save the rest of the year so that I can still pay my rent & bills

& yes I know that bars & restaurants are closing - some because they have been raided & it's been discovered that none of the staff have contracts or are paying tax etc by being self-employed....maybe they have been targeted unfairly & been reported by a competitor.....maybe the competitors are angry because they are playing by the rules - maybe they too aren't legal - & yes, maybe the govt should make it easier - though I understand from friends in the business that new contracts etc were introduced this year which go some way to easing this

it's dog eat dog atm


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

If I am in a bar and some one gets up to sing or play music, I drink up and leave.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

I love to hear live music in a bar, especially if I'm on holiday. Of course the quality varies, but IMO (almost) any live act is is better than piped music. It would be a real shame if it got like England where there are so many hoops to jump through to get a licence that a lot of smaller pubs just don't bother any more.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> I love to hear live music in a bar, especially if I'm on holiday. Of course the quality varies, but IMO (almost) any live act is is better than piped music. It would be a real shame if it got like England where there are so many hoops to jump through to get a licence that a lot of smaller pubs just don't bother any more.


I enjoy (some) live music in bars too

it's seriously difficult to get a 'permanent' live music license, to be fair, which is why most bars etc just apply for 'one-off event' licenses

from all the hooha I'd seen on local FB groups about the hassle various bars were getting & especially the now infamous charity event for which one bar was fined 1000s I felt much the same as the OP of this thread

then when it was discovered that no license had been applied for - & the bar owners put their hands up & admitted it ( they had wrongly assumed that the organiser of the event got one) I started doing some digging

I was surprised that the '6€ event' license is rarely refused, and while you wouldn't get one for every day of the year, how many places _have _live music every day?


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Glad to hear some of you like live music as we have been a pub duo for over 30 years both in Spain and the UK.

(Hepa - you're a miserable g*t)

For info - you need no license for music in the UK provided there are no more than two performers at any time during an event.

I have no idea what the laws are in Spain - we never asked - however we naver had a problem with the law (which was often in evidence) either as performers nor as bar (with occasional music) owners.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

jimenato said:


> Glad to hear some of you like live music as we have been a pub duo for over 30 years both in Spain and the UK.
> 
> (Hepa - you're a miserable g*t)
> 
> ...



Bollards or is it Rollocks


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

jimenato said:


> Glad to hear some of you like live music as we have been a pub duo for over 30 years both in Spain and the UK.
> 
> (Hepa - you're a miserable g*t)
> 
> ...


The scope and depth of your talents amazes me, Simon

I enjoy live music if I know it's going to take place. There is a restaurant in Estepona with excellent food but I won't go there as now and then they allow a 'musician' to sing around the tables.
It's horrible. The ceiling is low and the singer is very loud. You can't converse. He wears a strange outfit, a sort of sixteenth century Spanish caballero cum Medieval minstrel costume and sings stuff like 'Volare'.
I once pointed out politely to the Manager that I came to her restaurant to enjoy thefood and that if I wanted to hear music I'd go to a concert hall.
She said that British tourists like that kind of thing.
Oh well...sobre los gustos and all that..


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> The scope and depth of your talents amazes me, Simon
> 
> I enjoy live music if I know it's going to take place. There is a restaurant in Estepona with excellent food but I won't go there as now and then they allow a 'musician' to sing around the tables.
> It's horrible. The ceiling is low and the singer is very loud. You can't converse. He wears a strange outfit, a sort of sixteenth century Spanish caballero cum Medieval minstrel costume and sings stuff like 'Volare'.
> ...


I remember sitting alone in a Greek restaurant in London when I was working away.

A trio of Greek looking people came in with a guitar and something else, (could it be a bazooka - something like that?) and proceeded to serenade at the tables of some couples. It was highly embarrassing when they came and serenaded me, sat all alone, until the maitre de came over and rescued me. 

Live music is obviously not always appropriate...


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

jimenato said:


> I remember sitting alone in a Greek restaurant in London when I was working away.
> 
> A trio of Greek looking people came in with a guitar and something else, (could it be a bazooka - something like that?) and proceeded to serenade at the tables of some couples. It was highly embarrassing when they came and serenaded me, sat all alone, until the maitre de came over and rescued me.
> 
> Live music is obviously not always appropriate...


I know some men who might like that


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

mrypg9 said:


> The scope and depth of your talents amazes me, Simon
> 
> I enjoy live music if I know it's going to take place. There is a restaurant in Estepona with excellent food but I won't go there as now and then they allow a 'musician' to sing around the tables.
> It's horrible. The ceiling is low and the singer is very loud. You can't converse. He wears a strange outfit, a sort of sixteenth century Spanish caballero cum Medieval minstrel costume and sings stuff like 'Volare'.
> ...



There's a restaurant we usually visit when in Sevilla which has a classical guitarist playing in the evenings, and I enjoy that. But as to medieval singing minstrels, I'm of the same opinion as you. Anything featuring an electronic keyboard is guaranteed to have me heading for the exit, too.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

jimenato said:


> For info - you need no license for music in the UK provided there are no more than two performers at any time during an event.


God yes, I remember the "two in a bar" rule - five or six of us used to do a folk session in a pub and when the over-zealous environmental health guy came round we had to stop in mid-tune and hastily stash banjos and accordions under the seat.

But that was replaced in 2003 by a new Licensing Act which requires a single integrated licence (including sale of alcohol etc) and applies to the premises as a whole. Pub landlords had to specifically include live music as an activity when applying for their new licence. To get this approved, they had to pay a fee and install fire escapes, emergency lighting etc, which could be costly, so many didn't bother.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> The scope and depth of your talents amazes me, Simon
> 
> I enjoy live music if I know it's going to take place. There is a restaurant in Estepona with excellent food but I won't go there as now and then they allow a 'musician' to sing around the tables.
> It's horrible. The ceiling is low and the singer is very loud. You can't converse. He wears a strange outfit, a sort of sixteenth century Spanish caballero cum Medieval minstrel costume and sings stuff like 'Volare'.
> ...


Obviously you aren't a tourist!


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## owdoggy (Jul 23, 2008)

We tended to wait until people had stopped eating because projectile vomit, although looking really good in the stage lighting, did tend to upset some of the queasier members of the audience…… and that could get really messyuke:



Doggy


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## owdoggy (Jul 23, 2008)

On a serious note from the performer’s point of view all this could be a problem as most of them (us) work on the black, certainly in this area at least, because unless you’re trying to make a living out of it and willing to tour, and god help you if you are, then it’s going to cost you money to work legally unless you’re a very big act because there just isn’t the work. Even if there was a bin load of places to play locally you’re going to gig yourselves out. By that I mean you could have Pink Floyd gigging around here every week & even I (a big Floyd fan) would eventually get sick of them, then hey presto, dwindling audience & no more work…… you see my point. 

A musician that has a couple of small bar gigs a month just to get some pocket money could, in theory, end up with his gear confiscated by the men in green and a fine from the beak. In the UK you were always fairly safe as long as you didn’t take the pee but here it’s a different story if someone decides to put the boot in.

After a rather nasty surprise from HMRC (£700 just ‘cos we forgot to tell them we didn’t owe them anything……bless ‘em) I was going to take a solo set on the road but have decided only to play one charity gig for the animal charity that helped us out a lot recently and the odd one at the local bar ( nothing ever happens there…..could be something to do with the fact that Pedro, the owner, is ex-Guardia himself) for fear of being dropped in it.

It’s difficult because by the letter of the law working on the QT is illegal but what is an occasionally gigging muso to do……. if anyone’s got an answer to that one then I’m all ears.



Doggy


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