The Merry Tippler - a blog about drinks

What a good title for this short piece!

"Pons" is the Latin for "bridge", in Spanish"puente".

And last night, Monday January 20th, was the last night of Venta El Puente .....

..... not for ever, of course.

[Facebook]    

The family that runs "The Bridge" is taking a well-earned break. Two weeks. Dad Manolo said:

"We're not going away, we're simply having a rest!"

When asked why they weren't off to Tenerife or somewhere else warm, the portly paterfamilias responded with a twinkle in his eye:

"Keep it to yourself, but maybe I shall nip off somewhere on my own .....!"

    [Karl Smallman]

This is interesting. In the UK and other countries of northern Europe, the pubs never close for holidays; they don't even have rest days.

They make use of staff rotas to cover the long opening hours and if the landlord, landlady or pub manager wants to go on holiday with their family, relief staff take over in order to maintain the status quo.

    [Reuters]

Last night

So, I arrived around 8.45 pm, expecting it to be packed. There were just two locals at the bar, until shortly aterwards a young couple and child arrived.

There were nearly more staff than customers.

The family's publicity, ie word of mouth, clearly hadn't worked.

© The Merry Tippler

Pictures:

Facebook, Karl Smallman, Reuters

Thanks:

Paul Whitelock, Venta El Puente

Tags:

Facebook, Karl Smallman, landlady, landlord, paterfamilias, Paul Whitelock, pub manager, Reuters, Tenerife, ​​​​​The Merry Tippler, Venta El Puente

This 1994 hit by "D:Ream" was chosen by the Labour Party as their campaign song for the 1997 general election in the UK, which resulted in a landslide victory for Tony Blair and "New Labour".

[BBC]    

I've used it here as an appropriate title for this article about the current sad state of hosteleria in the area where I live near Ronda.

It all started when the Ronda Valley Hotel (formerly known as The Don Benito) suddenly shut its doors in early December. 

We already knew it had been sold, but we did not expect this sudden closure.

[LinkedIn]    

What to do?

We already knew that the Hotel Molino del Puente was going to be shut for the winter and La Perla Blanca had changed hands and didn't have the correct permit for non-staying-guests to use the bar.

   Hotel Molino del Puente [KAYAK]                   Hotel La Perla Blanca [PB]

All the other places were a bit of a drive away and didn't open every day; some didn't do evenings.

"Things can only get better!"

Today is Monday January 19th, 2026. I described earlier the situation we have been exposed to over the Christmas / New Year / "Reyes" period, and it's set to get worse before it gets better.

Venta el Puente closes after tonight for two weeks staff / family holiday, so there'll be even fewer options for a drink.

After that, at last, "things" start to "get better"!

The Ronda Valley Hotel / Don Benito is scheduled to re-open in mid- February ..... as the "Don Miguel".

Hotel Molino del Puente / Restaurante La Cascada are due to re-open for Valentine's Day, February 14th, after their three-month winter closure.

   The new Don Miguel [Paul Whitelock]     The family at Rte. La Cascada / Htl. Molino del Puente [HMP]

Hotel Molino del Santo in Benaojan Estacion also.

Bar Stop, re-incarnated as Bar Ankanita, is back in the hands of Anita and her family, and re-opened last week after undergoing a "makeover".

   Molino del Santo [booking.com]                                  Bar Ankanita [Paul Whitelock]

Asador El Muelle in Benaojan Estacion continues as before, as does namesake .....

El Muelle de Arriate under the inspired leadership of Dutchman Frank Rottgering.

   Asador El Muelle [Karl Smallman]                               El Muelle de Arriate [Secret Serrania]

Casa Lola, recently opened in the premises of Las Banderas, is at your service from 12.00 - 18.00 for drinks, snacks and lunch daily except Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Local celebrity chef Alberto and his wife Samantha are "mine hosts".

    [Facebook]    

"Things" are definitely getting "Better!"

So, just as I've been prevailed upon by several doctors to finally give up alcohol for my health (I'm a Type 2 diabetic), everywhere's going to be open again!

What irony!

Oh well, I'll have to drink cerveza "sin" or tonica cero.

[PACE Hospitals]    

I'm currently carrying out taste tests. Best non-alcohol beers to date are Victoria "sin" tostada and El Aguila 0,0 sin filtrar.

Results of my full taste test coming soon .....

Links

D:Ream - Things Can Only Get Better (1993) (Official Video)

© The Merry Tippler

Pictures:

Booking.com, BBC, Facebook, Hotel Molino del Puente, Karl Smallman, KAYAK, LinkedIn, PACE Hospitals, Paul Whitelock, Secret Serrania, Trip Advisor

Thanks:

Facebook, Paul Whitelock, Wikipedia

Tags:

1997 general election, Booking.com, BBC, D:Ream, Facebook, Hotel Molino del Puente, Karl Smallman, KAYAK, Labour, LinkedIn, New Labour, PACE Hospitals, Paul Whitelock, Secret Serrania, The Merry Tippler, "Things Can Only Get Better!", Tony Blair, Trip Advisor