Spain holiday warning – Brits face closed restaurants & bars at top resorts

BENIDORM’S pubs and restaurants could face shorter opening hours this summer, as the resort is running out of waiters.

A number of businesses are already closing early on some days or even for full days.

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Industry chiefs estimate there are about 4,000 vacancies in the popular holiday resort.

But due to a combination of circumstances, the jobs aren’t being filled and it’s feared only 2,000 of the positions will be taken up by the summer.

Alex Fratini, spokesman for the Association of Bars, Restaurants and Cafeterias of Benidorm (Abreca) said: “We are seeing that the problem is not money.

“The salary of a waiter in Benidorm is about 1,200 euros net per month and in addition, there are a lot of tips, especially with the English – each waiter takes about 300 euros more per month.”

Mar Valera, spokesperson for the Provincial Association of Hospitality Entrepreneurs of Alicante (Apeha), warned: “The solution will be do reduce hours and openings, there is no other way.”

Alicante is not alone in the problem as there are thousands of vacancies across Spain.

In April, there were more than 17,000 job offers in the hospitality sector, six times more than last year. 

The Spanish government says poor working conditions, long hours and low pay are to blame but the Spanish Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises  says this is not true and more training should be offered to keep workers.

They also claim “lack of recognition” for the role and “precarious” contracts play a major part.

Others have blamed the cost of living in popular tourist resorts, with a waiter’s salary unable to afford a month’s rent.

Brits visiting Spain have also been warned of a new crackdown across Spanish holiday resorts that could ruin their trip.

Majorca has launched a major campaign against illegal holiday lets in the island’s most popular resorts.

While tourists won’t be fined, they could find themselves without anywhere to stay if they book one of the rentals, only for it to be closed down before they arrive.

Holidaymakers have faced huge queues at airports in Spain due to long waits at security, with the situation blamed on a lack of staff.

But the hour-long queues are nothing compared to the waits faced by travellers leaving British airports for foreign holidays this half term.

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Crowds were seen queuing for hundreds of metres outside Bristol Airport this morning, while eight-hour waits and plans scrapped over text faced hundreds of holidaymakers over the weekend.