The Provincial Court of Santa Cruz convened on Monday for the initial session of a trial involving the former manager of the Strasse Park kiosk, located in García Sanabria Park. They stand accused of transferring the concession without apprising the new proprietors that the electricity connection was unlawful and that it had amassed bills totalling nearly 90,000 euros, which have now risen to 150,000 euros.
During the session, one of the new proprietors spoke up, stating they had not been made aware that the connection was illegal nor of any outstanding debts or the necessity for works to rectify the situation. However, they were shortly contacted by the City Council, who informed them of the circumstances.
The previous owners had drafted a project for the installation, which was estimated to cost 29,000 euros, but it featured certain flaws that were never addressed.
The projected cost for carrying out the required work was at least 70,000 euros, and as the kiosk is situated in an area designated as an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC), it was necessary to await consent from the Cabildo.
Guillermo Díaz Guerra, the current urban planning manager and former Municipal Services manager, recounted the discussion in which the concession buyers were made aware of the true state of the kiosk, including the owed debts and the need for remedial work, or their supply would be cut off.
The former councillor noted that the businessman’s reaction was striking, as “he froze, he didn’t even blink,” and attributed this to the moment he called for payment, having been implementing a cost-saving policy on electricity, and was taken aback by the hefty bill from the park.
Upon learning about the genuine situation of the Park kiosk, this buyer expressed his shock at the substantial amount they had to pay, particularly as he had not received prior notifications before the acquisition.
The other partner stated that had he been informed of this situation, he would not have proceeded with the purchase, or would have done so under entirely different circumstances, emphasising that the contract contained a clause assuring there were no outstanding debts.
The new owners mentioned that the concession expired last September, and they are awaiting the awarding of a new one. They reported that the business has consistently been profitable, except during the pandemic, although they have since secured grants amounting to 71,000 euros.
