Angry La Cala residents take action against new eyesores along main boulevard

New additions erected along one of La Cala de Mijas’s main streets have caused a stir, and residents are not happy at all.

Greedy? Ugly billboards appeared, then went blank

If you stroll along the boulevard in this pretty Costa del Sol town on a regular basis then over the last few days you will have found something different. A string of new advertising boards now line either side of the main strip, advertising anything from retail giant El Corte Ingles to beers, waters and other supermarket items. Local residents have taken to social media to express their bitter disappointment with the Town Hall for allowing such eyesores to ruin the pretty walkway.

Some took to the group to explain that the main purpose of the boards was to initially display historic facts about the area but that does not seem to be the case. Many believe the act is pure greed and that local funds and focus should be used to fix other issues in the area such as potholes and uneven roads.

In a strange move, after only a short period of time the boards had their adverts stripped away and now stand blank, leading locals to wonder if they are leaving just as quickly as they came.

AI rumours

The disbelief and outrage that the local Town Hall would make such an error in adding the boards to the street led to much speculation about whether the photos were even in fact real. Many believed the shots to be AI-generated purely to provoke a reaction. Others added fuel to the fire by using further AI to ‘enhance’ the photos to add some humour to the sore subject.

Safety and market set up concerns

Many took their voices to the group to express the concern over the placement of the boards, stating that children and the elderly will struggle to see to cross the road safely and that they block the view of the traffic.

Where would the market stalls now set up to trade? Others were also disappointed in the blocking of the trees that line both sides of the walkway. Some were even looking ahead to when they will be hit by inevitable graffiti, taking the strip even further away from its original state.

Taking action into their own hands

It hasn’t taken long before the local community has sprung into action, calling on each other to contact the Mayor and Town Hall with their frustrated messages and feelings around the new additions to the town. Whether they get removed or their real purpose gets explained remains to be seen, but out of the hundreds of people who have taken to social media on English and Spanish groups, you will struggle to find many, if any, who are in favour of the new boards. Will they take them down? Watch this (advertising) space.