Almeria Market stallholders make urgent plea for afternoon opening

A NUMBER of stallholders in Almeria’s Central Market have requested permission from the council to open their business in the afternoon hours.
This demand is now more legitimate than ever, according to them, after the opening of a new supermarket within the facilities of the main market, which is allowed to remain open later.
Amongst those asking for the change to the regulations are bakeries, butchers, fruit and vegetable stalls and also a cafeteria, which is not allowed to serve meals after 3pm.
They are not in the majority, in fact, many of the other owners believe the market area is not busy enough during the afternoons to keep employees occupied.
However the lobbyists for change say that late opening could be adopted only by those who need it to make ends meet, and not all business owners would have to keep trading in the afternoon.
They are convinced that opening during the afternoons would re-energise the building and attract more clients, and that many people who work during the morning hours had expressed their wish to shop at the market, and complained about the impossibility of doing so in the afternoons.
Owners claim they are not complaining about the new supermarket, but would like to compete in the same conditions in terms of opening hours.