Yesterday, the City Council of Santa Cruz took action to dismantle the outdoor seating areas of several food and drink establishments situated in the central district of the capital, specifically on Castillo and San José streets, due to either not possessing the required licenses or exceeding the granted authorisation.
Officers from the Local Police and municipal workers were tasked with removing the tables, chairs, and furnishings from the sanctioned premises, a situation resulting from the terrace inspection plan initiated last October by the City Council, under the supervision of Javier Rivero and Zaida González, in charge of Municipal Heritage and Urban Planning, respectively.
The Councillor for Heritage informed DIARIO DE AVISOS yesterday that “this marks the second phase of the inspection plan, where six outdoor areas have been affected due to either lacking the necessary permits for this activity or occupying an excessive amount of public space”. Rivero highlighted that “upon the launch of the plan, and following inspections at the establishments, the City Council notified the owners of their non-compliance with municipal regulations. At that time, only the outdoor area of the mini-casino on Anaga Avenue was removed, as the others had already submitted applications for permits to regularise their situation with the Urban Planning Department.”
Nevertheless, “a new action has been taken against six food and drink establishments which were previously informed to dismantle their outdoor seating areas due to permit absence”. The deadline for submitting appeals was met yesterday, prompting the operation. The councillor mentioned that “out of these six establishments in violation, two opted to voluntarily remove their tables and chairs. These were La Santa on Calle Castillo, which had been encroaching on the pedestrian space for an extended period, resulting in narrowing the street and impeding the passage of pedestrians, especially individuals with disabilities. The other voluntary removal was done by Burger King on Calle San José.”
Rivero further stated that “in addition to these two, there were four more establishments not complying with the regulations, which had already been notified: El Cambullón, la Salumería, and Goiko, all on Calle San José”. Hence, the outdoor areas of these businesses were dismantled yesterday. “One establishment, belonging to La Fábula, still remains, as they have filed an appeal. We await the legal services’ opinion before issuing removal orders.”
The councillor emphasised that “the public space must be respected, and compliance with regulations is mandatory for the majority of bars, cafes, and restaurants in the capital which utilise public areas. This compliance includes having a permit to operate on the street, adhering to set dimensions and furniture, and ensuring universal accessibility”. The owners of the removed outdoor areas have the option to request a permit from the authorities to regularise their situation and reinstall them.
