Beach bar owner fights for future

A CASARES chiringuito owner is fighting for his future and that of his eight employees as the council wants to demolish the premises.
Juan Jose Gomez was awarded one of four spaces put out to tender by the council eight years ago, yet had no idea that the fifth company that had applied for a space and was turned down had taken the matter to court.
Two years ago, a judge found in favour of the claimant, and Gomez received a letter from the council ordering him to remove his chiringuito. Now the council has said it intends to enforce the order.
Yet the bar owner says he has no intention of leaving without a fight, or at least compensation, and has announced that if necessary he will chain himself to the bar to stop demolition teams.
Although the current battle has stopped La Mar Sala (the name of the bar in question) from opening this summer, leaving its eight workers jobless, the owner says he has hopes of sorting everything out and staying until his licence runs out in 2022.