News
Fire Devastates Local Business Trade
Gemma Quinn / 2005-12-19 11:02:53
"Just because Caprabo is shut doesn't mean everywhere else is!"
One mindless act of vandalism, believed to be from a group of youths, has had a devastating effect on a community of new businesses in La Marina who were unaware that a fire in a camper van nearby would leave them struggling for survival.
We reported on the blaze in edition 84 of the 'Leader' following the late night drama. It began in an abandoned camper van on Sunday 13th November at around 9.30pm. The flames quickly spread to the neighbouring Caprabo supermarket, getting in the air vents and causing widespread damage to the roof and stock inside.
Today, five weeks on, the supermarket, dominating the new commercial area in calle Luis de Gongora, remains closed with little progress being made on getting it back up and running, leaving the whole area looking like a ghost town but as the owners of Mindhoff International stated, "Just because Caprabo is shut, doesn't mean everywhere else is." A sentiment felt by all the units as they desperately try to get that message across to their customers.
Mindhoff International is the urbanisation's newest internet café and computer repairs shop. Despite the young British couple already being established in the area specialising in repairs, their spacious and welcoming internet café remains largely empty as people steer clear of the area, "The supermarket was one of the main selling points for us. We based all our figures on the passing trade that it brought and now there is no passing trade, the car park is empty."
Peter Price manages the Mediterranean Cellar just a few doors down. He said, "I've noticed a substantial drop." Owner of Eve's Gems, Yvonne, agrees, "That car park was packed, especially on a Saturday, they would get their shopping, put it in the car and have a wander around and now we get no one. I'm struggling to pay the rent." Speaking of the culprits responsible for the fire Peter added simply, "I don't think they realise what they've done and the effect it has had."
The situation is not much better across from Caprabo on the opposite side of the commercial centre for the bars and restaurants. Christa owns the Palmtree Bar which was once a busy little place full of daytime trade, "The supermarket would bring people in during the day for breakfast and lunch but that has gone now. Winter was always going to be hard, but for it to be winter and have no supermarket is a disaster."
As police investigate the cause of the blaze David and Linda Dawson from Rojos bar angrily say their livelihoods have been put on the line and instead of blaming the perpetrators of the fire they say some of the responsibility actually lies with the fire brigade, "I called the police twice to get down here and it was around 40 minutes before the fire crew turned up, if they had arrived sooner it would never have spread to the supermarket, there was just no sense of urgency at all and this was a major fire." Wife Linda added, "I dread to think what could have happened if that was someone's house. We want to know why that van was allowed to stay there. We knew the young couple that lived there as they used to come in but they disappeared about a month before the fire."
The pair are both shocked and stunned that repair work has not been carried out sooner on Caprabo, "If that was in the UK that would be rebuilt in weeks, it's just not fair, how do they expect us to survive, it's been a disaster for us."
Rumours circulate as to when the supermarket will actually re-open with reports ranging from 3 to 5 months. Some workers at the store have told residents they expect to be back at work by February or early March but a spokesman for the Caprabo chain in Barcelona gave little hope to business owners simply confirming that the store was "closed for repairs and renovations and will reopen next year."
With 'next year' just a week away businesses can do little more than hope that it will be towards the start of the year rather than the end of 2006.
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