Justin's Life

Welcome to my new blog. I plan to write about all sorts of things here, my life in Spain, ineresting things and ideas I've come across, places I've visited and so much more. Hope you enjoy it and please leave comments as your input is always appreciated.

Where are all the businesses?
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 @ 5:01 PM

Cristamar Puerto Banus I had a meeting in Puerto Banus the other day and stumbled into the Cristamar centre by mistake. It looked like something out of a movie where aliens have taken everyone away and left everything else how it was, sort of frozen in time.

Unfortunately I didn't have my camera but the place was deserted. All the upper floor which is for offices...it was like a ghost town. People have left the offices with furniture in them and everything. Mail accumulating under the doors.

It was very spooky and really brought home how bad things have gotten in Spain. All those offices were bustling just 12 months ago and now they are all empty...and there are loads of them.

It's not just the Cristamar centre and Puerto Banus, there are so many empty offices and closed up shops now that it is actually quite scary. How different things were even just 12 months ago.

I go to a really nice gym/spa in the mornings, Albayt, and I still don't know how they keep going. It's always so quiet in there, there just aren't enough customers. Someone is bank rolling that place for sure.

Are we going to see more places close? My gestor believes we've seen the worst and that so far this year the number of businesses closing down has been less than last year. Is that a good sign or just a sign that there aren't any businesses left to close down?

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stan wood said:
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 @ 11:04 PM

its all over spain.Here in Costa Blanca we have Centres which have never been occupied.The more older established centres are being deserted as well.If you go to Los Dolses in Villamartin its now hardly half full and the actual fabric of the buildings are becoming derilict and are fenced off for safety! The mad speculation of the past has burst and I think we are in for sad times in areas overdeveloped. Thank goodness we only bought a tiny piso by the Beach and SUN STILL SHINES FOR FREE!

Robert said:
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 @ 1:25 AM

In Altea on the Northern Costa Blanca it is also bad but it isn't as obvious as in some areas. I would say that because there is a lot of "old spanish money" around in Altea it filters down in the area keeping the shops and businesses going.

I was in Vera Playa a couple of weeks ago and everything seemed to be boarded up. All the services along the area known as Bouganvillas were gone leaving a just a few bars open.

Trying to run a business in Spain at this time is very difficult no matter where you are. It has to get better because it can't get any worse... can it?

Robert.

James Baker said:
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 @ 9:05 AM

I moved to the coast from a small town in Granada in 2008 and had to return on business the other day. I was shocked by how many stores were up for rent or simply shutdown. When I asked my business partner he pointed out another half a dozen open businesses that were on their last legs and probably going to fold. All this is after a year when the government and Town Halls spent a lot of money supporting the economy. This year a lot of support ends and the government begins cutting spending and raising taxes. It's hard to see activity picking up in this climate.
In terms of blame - there is plenty to go around but the Euro fuelled the boom and has put Spain in a straitjacket for the bust.

Fred said:
Friday, February 26, 2010 @ 9:41 PM

Spain is fucked.

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Justin Aldridge
Since 2004 I've been living with my lovely family in Manilva on the Costa del Sol. Being passionate about Formula 1 and chocolate Hob Nobs takes up most of my time ;) Enjoy my blog.