# What's happening in Fuengirola Port



## Norri (Oct 29, 2011)

I have recently returned from a trip to Fuengirola.

What has happened to all the bars and cafe bars in the Port of Fuengirola???

It appears that they are constantly changing hands or closing down.

I would like to hear from anyone that can share their experiences of buying, trading and/or sadly closing their bar. Were the agents honest in their description of the bar you purchased, did you receive good legal advice, were the land lords supportive and what would you have done differently?????????? 

Why do you think your business failed, why did you choose to close or sell up???????

I would appreciate any feedback you can offer.

Thanks


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I can only tell you that times are not good for bar owners on the cost del Sol. Many are closing cos of the economic climate. Tourism has been at an all time low, costs have escalated, many hotels now offer "all inclusive" holidays and the holiday makers that are there, dont seem to spend as much! Hard times for bar owners and agents, who dont tell the whole story in many cases - they darent !!!

Jo xxx


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## Norri (Oct 29, 2011)

*Fuengirola Port*

Thanks for your view.

It appears particulary bad at the moment with one bar being sold 3 times this year.

Surely all the owners can't be bad????? I counted 14 bars closed since my last visit.

I can understand business is tough but there must be something extra that is attributing to the failure of the port.

Would love to hear from anyone who has bought a bar in the port.

Thanks again


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Norri said:


> Thanks for your view.
> 
> It appears particulary bad at the moment with one bar being sold 3 times this year.
> 
> ...


I can't speak for Fuengirola - but where I live it's a similar situation

there are simply too many bars & not enough customers - only very few are surviving - & for most - that's all they are doing - surviving


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Norri said:


> Thanks for your view.
> 
> It appears particulary bad at the moment with one bar being sold 3 times this year.
> 
> ...



Its not bad owners, its as xabiachica said, too many bars and not enough punters!! I have a friend who had a boat business in Fuengirola port and that failed for the same reason and theres also apparently alot of "backbiting" due to the stress of the situation (struggling for customers/money) down there. Altho I know Fuengirola really well, I have to say IMO that the port area isnt particularly pleasant! I find it shabby, untidy and the bars there arent somewhere I'd want to go - especially if I were on holiday. I suppose bottom line is that its a small area that, once upon a time was popular with british tourists and holiday makers looking for their english beer/food etc, but those days have gone and as a consequence the area has become run down! 

I doubt that we have any ex-bar owners from the area on the forum cos once they leave Spain, they dont generally return to the forum to discuss their failings!! We do have a chap on here who owns a bar inland, but thats an entirely different type of place

Jo xxxx


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

....... it could also be that Benalmadena Port has come along and usurped it, by being incredibly modern and "upmarket"??? and just up the road???

Jo xxx


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

I had heard that quite a few of the 'foreign' bars/restaurants in the port had been shut down by the police this summer because of noise/disturbance issues.... I believe the few very longstanding mainly Spanish establishments have attempted to squeeze out the newbies in the port to protect their own businesses. This is purely anacdotal (sp), but like Jo said, I think the area has become more and more rundown and seedy over the past few years. The bottom end of fish alley hasn't fared much better.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

lynn said:


> I had heard that quite a few of the 'foreign' bars/restaurants in the port had been shut down by the police this summer because of noise/disturbance issues.... I believe the few very longstanding mainly Spanish establishments have attempted to squeeze out the newbies in the port to protect their own businesses. This is purely anacdotal (sp), but like Jo said, I think the area has become more and more rundown and seedy over the past few years. The bottom end of fish alley hasn't fared much better.


Maybe we've heard the same anecdotal gossip Lynn ?????, altho as I mentioned. I had some friends who bought a fishing business down there and apparently its not an easy area to do business at the moment???

Jo xxx


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

jojo said:


> Maybe we've heard the same anecdotal gossip Lynn ?????, altho as I mentioned. I had some friends who bought a fishing business down there and apparently its not an easy area to do business at the moment???
> 
> Jo xxx


I'm sure we have heard the same gossip Jo, and I'm grateful to you for knowing how to spell 'anecdotal'.... my spelling is dreadful and getting worse with age!

We occasionally wander down to the port when we take the dog for a walk along the paseo, and it's difficult to find a bar to sit in with a few people in it, so you're not billy no mates so to speak. It's quite sad really, and that's even in the summer season... The owners generally speaking are very attentive and welcoming, but there just aren't the customers...
The bottom end of fish alley has lost a few bars over the past few years. Friends of ours sold up earlier in the year and returned to the UK. Their bar was established and in the busier end of fish alley, but they saw the bars and restaurants around them change hands regularly.

Having said all that, Fuengirola has some wonderful establishments, and certainly there are loads of really busy tapas bars and restaurants that are doing ok. I think it's largely the Spanish places that are busy because they get a good all year round trade.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I like Fuengi, theres a lovely Indian restaurant - good value too there that even does deliveries to Torremuelle!! and then of course theres Pogs (I think you and I may have a few drunken memories of that place LOL), and all the bars in that area!!!!! But down in that port area, hhhhmmm, we walked along there a few times, but as you say, all the bars are empty and for some reason, people dont seem to go to an empty bar!! I cant say they looked particularly appealing anyway. I guess its how things go, time, people and popularity move on!

Jo xxx


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

jojo said:


> I like Fuengi, theres a lovely Indian restaurant - good value too there that even does deliveries to Torremuelle!! and then of course theres Pogs (I think you and I may have a few drunken memories of that place LOL), and all the bars in that area!!!!! But down in that port area, hhhhmmm, we walked along there a few times, but as you say, all the bars are empty and for some reason, people dont seem to go to an empty bar!! I cant say they looked particularly appealing anyway. I guess its how things go, time, people and popularity move on!
> 
> Jo xxx


Drunken memories Jo?? Surely not 

Pogs closed for a while during the summer but I believe it's up and running again. Having said that, it was getting progressively emptier every visit we made to it last year. When my son went in at the end of August, the barman was giving him and his mates free drinks to keep them in as it was so empty....

I particularly like the tapas bars round the back of the correos, and the ones round the back of the bus station. They always have customers.


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## ronny333 (May 8, 2010)

Lots of the bars down by the porto were and are a load of old tack anyway, I think its good in a way that many are closing as it will eventually give the area a good clean up.
Who knows in the future they might actually put some more classy establishments down there and attract a nicer tourist/people. 
That's what the CDS needs - more quality and less quantity - and that ladies & gents is was a good old recession provides.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

ronny333 said:


> Lots of the bars down by the porto were and are a load of old tack anyway, I think its good in a way that many are closing as it will eventually give the area a good clean up.
> Who knows in the future they might actually put some more classy establishments down there and attract a nicer tourist/people.
> That's what the CDS needs - more quality and less quantity - and that ladies & gents is was a good old recession provides.


True, but a bit risky for a small developer/bar owner trying to go into the port and open a quality establishment right now!!?? I personally think it needs knocking down and starting again - properly!!!

Jo xxx


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## ronny333 (May 8, 2010)

I wouldn't recommend anyone to open any kind of bar in any part of Spain right now, unless the the start up fees were free, but even then...

Your right Jo they should just demolish the monstrosity and start over - I hear Benalmadena Marina is very nice, although I have not been for donkeys years - maybe they could try do some thing like that.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

ronny333 said:


> I wouldn't recommend anyone to open any kind of bar in any part of Spain right now, unless the the start up fees were free, but even then...
> 
> Your right Jo they should just demolish the monstrosity and start over - I hear Benalmadena Marina is very nice, although I have not been for donkeys years - maybe they could try do some thing like that.



Benalmadena Marina is very "posh", there are some rather exclusive apartment blocks, beautiful boats and yachts to loook at, a lovely walkways with shops, bars and restaurants........ It kinda blows Fuengi Port out of existence lol!!!





Jo xxx


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

This is the best you tube account of Fuengirola port I could find (and it does it justice IMO). I guess the two places are totally incomparable. The photos dont show the flat roofed, shanty styles bars and restaurants






Jo xxx


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

The last time I visited Fuengirola it was still a sleepy fishing village with only a couple of bars and restaurants, no high rise hotels at all and very peaceful. (It was a long time ago) I just visited again, albeit via Google Earth street view and it looks horrendous. I remember a couple of years ago we drove to Marbella and once we got to Benelmadena it was a wall of concrete until about 3 kms outside Marbella. We only saw the sea a couple of times when there was a gap between buildings. I dread to think what will happen to all this concrete when so many establishments are closing down...


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