British Expat Bargain Hunters Get Great News in Costa Blanca Area of Spain

British expat bargain hunters have got some great news in the Costa Blanca area of Spain, which could kick in as soon as this Thursday (April 30).
THE Valencian Government will allow popular markets across the region to reopen to sell food and basic essentials later this week, although the final decision will be left to each local municipality.
High quality and cheap produce has been a magnet for British buyers at the well-attended markets throughout the Costa Blanca region, but they were stopped from trading shortly before the State of Alarm started.
The Ministry of Health has now introduced a set of conditions after talks with traders, which will allow food stallholders to return to selling.
That includes a 2.5-metre gap between the different stalls, and a two-metre distance between people working at the stall and their customers.
Stalls can use their regular pitches so long as the distancing limits are clearly marked out and that all the social distancing measures are maintained.
Sellers must also keep a distance of two metres between themselves at their pitch and if that is not possible, then only one person can man a business.
The Unió de Llauradors, who represent market traders, have lobbied the Valencian Government to allow their members to return to business, but in the full understanding that emergency health and safety rules had to be followed.
The vast majority of farmers sell their own produce, and since many also deal in other aspects of agriculture, like livestock, they have not qualified for government money to help them through the State of Alarm.
The group has now called on the individual municipalities in the Costa Blanca area to allow their members to resume selling, after the Valencian ruling.
“It was not logical to continue to allow supermarkets and shops to continue selling food, whilst markets were forced to close,” a Unió de Llauradors spokesman said.