Friends who opened a bar during Covid go on to raise money for charity

Three people from the UK who decided to open a bar on the Costa del Sol during the ongoing health pandemic share the story of their journey.


Chris Morris, Mark Morris, a son and father both from Essex, and Ian Perry, from Sheffield in the UK, opened a bar on the Costa del Sol on December 20 2020 amidst the ongoing health pandemic.
R&R, located on Calle Huerta in the popular seaside town of Nerja, was opened when the previous owner decided to close and move back to their hometown – the trio jumped at the opportunity after having visited the town for over 16 years and been residents there for five years.
The bar also gives back to the community by helping to raise money for charity. They have most recently raised  €250 during the Euro 2020 games that have been donated to Nerja Solidaria, a charity that raises money for families in need. The money will go towards food banks, children’s stationery and toiletries. They are still taking donations for this worthy cause.

Despite the health crises that has damaged many businesses in Spain, luckily, lockdown had finished by December and only opening hour restrictions were in place (as well as the obligatory mask rule, of course).
However, the restricted hours turned into a positive for R&R, with Mark and Chris saying “the restrictions worked well for us, the bar was busier because people knew they only had until 6pm to come out and have some drinks”.
Mark and Chris added that they “have a lot of regulars, however, we have noticed that business is picking up lately, we have had many French, Swedish and Irish customers, and we are seeing a rise in customers from the UK, too.”
Sanitary measures became more important for restaurants and bars with many customers becoming increasingly wary of using hand sanitisers and whether businesses are taking the right precautions.
“We noticed that people were commenting on how clean the toilets and tables are. We also kept both the front and terrace doors open to create air flowing through at all times”, Mark said.
Despite the health crises, the trio said they have no regrets and that things on the Costa del Sol seem to be picking up in terms of travellers and tourists.
Despite the health crises, the trio said they have no regrets and that things on the Costa del Sol seem to be picking up in terms of travellers and tourists.


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Written by

Laura Kemp

Originally from UK, Laura is based in Axarquia and is a writer for the Euro Weekly News covering news and features. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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