LICENCE LACK: Torrevieja bars and restaurants pay for their terraces but lack licences

NOT a single one of the 800 bars and restaurants that have installed a terrace on a public street in Torrevieja are in possession of a licence, normally issued by the town hall, giving them permission to do so.
This has come to light after a local police officer was called as a witness as part of a case in which a La Mata residenthas denounced the town hall for failing to take any action since 2014 against a local restaurant owner who has not complied with Public Road regulations.
The restaurant is located on La Mata’s Paseo Marítimo and apparently the owner removed a bench, palm tree and some bollards, replacing them with his restaurant’s set of table and chairs.
The local police officer told the court that since the town hall began to charge a fee for terraces to occupy part of a public street, processing documentation and issuing licences for this type of activity has been forgotten about.