Torremolinos is quiet at night

[laswalkirias]

Stayed in malaga city 3weeks ago and the place was buzzing day and night with no sign of any recession attall
However went to Torremolinos for a night out trawling the bars and clubs in Yumbo centre and found that the place was deserted and that even macdonalds in town centre had closed
I have had nights out during the week and have never seen anything like it, total ghost town at night.all the young people who used to go out in Torry are now in Malaga City on saturday night
Quite depressing, a sign of the times?
Even the new sales assistant in Greggs in inner city London is just arrived from Spain.
I dont relish the thought of actually achieving my dream of retiring to Spain if it is full of old fogeys like me and no young people left!!!!!

[costakid]

Malaga is buzzing. My only concern is last Saturday we saw 3 stag parties. I hope it doesn't go down hill with drunken yobs spoiling it.

[Miro]

You're right. I've been in Torrie for 14 years, and it's just gone down the pan. Not only MacDs, but Zara & Bershka have left, Carrefour & Eroski used to have outlets in town, no more, Opencor closed their town centre branch (the Chinese supermarket in its place is doing OK though) and many smaller businesses have gone to the wall. Never heard of the Yumbo centre so don't know where that is, but I gave up going out at night a long time ago - the place is dirty and feels dangerous. I've witnessed a mugging and a stabbing in recent years. Down by the beach, especially La Carihuela, still seems nice and reasonably lively. What gets me, is places nearby like Arroyo and Fuengirola seem so much better, seem to be picking up. It's almost as if the town has a death wish. It's quite sad really, as this was where it all started (read Michener's "The Drifters")

[Free at Last]

I thought I remembered seeing an article a few months ago saying much the same, local business owners lamenting the state of things in the town although neighbouring areas were much busier. Here it is:-

http://www.diariosur.es/v/20140112/mala ... 40112.html

[Miro]

Yep, that article pretty much sums it up. And the mayor says local business owners don't know how to run a business! Like he has a clue. The eyesore shell of a new museum still stands unfinished as a testament to his folly. And never mind that the rents are extortionate. Half the town is owned by 2 or 3 fat cat families who made their money in the 60s 70s & 80s and obviously don't care if their prime property remains boarded up. Mr.Noodle opened a franchise in Arroyo, huge locale right opposite the train station, large terrace on a corner slap bang in the town centre; doing a bomb night & day. In Torrie, they opened in a tiny locale down a side street where nobody goes. Go figure. They could have had Zara's or MacDs old places (except that MacDs apparently left because the town hall refused them permission for a terrace) but presumably can't afford the rent. Small businesses are actively impeded; a cafe opposite the train station had to fork out to put a ramp in the entrance so that wheelchair users could negotiate its inch high step (no exaggeration) - meanwhile the train station has no lift access at all, and to get to the Malaga bound platform, not even an escalator, just two steep flights of steps.
I could go on.

P.S. a gay friend of mine reliably informs me that the Yumba centre is in Maspalomas in Gran Canaria I think you meant La Nogalera?

[RichardCoeurdeLion]

that's sad about Torre

The Yumbo Centre I know is in Playa del Ingles, Gran Canaria. By day it is a massive shopping centre on three levels with all kinds out outlets. By night it transforms into a nightlife area with many clubs, bars and show bars. It was quite busy earlier this year

[Miro]

Torremolinos revival? Not that it will do anything to enhance the town's nightlife, but maybe a sign that things are looking up - the large premises formally occupied by Zara (next to the train station and Burger King) is currently being refitted, and according to reliable sources, is due to open as.....

....Poundland!

https://www.euroweeklynews.com/news/spa ... s-in-spain

[laswalkirias]

My aphologies Acomers,yes i mean La Nogalera(which I have heard is owned by one of those same families that own alot of real estate in Torry),yes , Yumbo is in Playa del Ingles and I get them mixed up!!1
For those of a nervous disposition please do not read this post any further
La Nogalera is one of the few places on earth recognised as a mecca for the international gay community,it is very strange to see it so quiet at night as people from all over the globe travel there for its legendary night life
So torys demise must be part of the worlwide recession as lots of visitors to the delightful nightlife there are americans(North and South) germans and french and of course the gay Brits
Very very worrying
Of course malaga city is more cultured and beautiful and very Spanish, but everybody now and again needs to let there hair down and Torry fits the bill
It seems a shame that the town is floundering
Incidentally the majority of residents in Torremollinos are Spanish, most expats gravitate to Belmadena

[Ama]

according to reliable sources, is due to open as Poundland!

This is accurate, they are advertivising positions on Infojobs, and will be called Dealz.

[Manchesteral]

I think this is just a reflection of the general downturn in the economy, fewer jobs and lower incomes will always result in a reduction of recreational spending, unfortunately Andalucia has become dependant on the tourism spectrum, there is no industrial output so when nobody has spare money to spend the pleasure outlets suffer!

A friend of mine with a solid background in the reclamation business has been fighting for many years to introduce a system whereby beer bottles, cans etc should be subject to a deposit at the point of purchase (ensuring that they will be returned for the reclamation of the deposit) he has so far been unsuccessful, think the number of lost jobs !

[Miro]

according to reliable sources, is due to open as Poundland!

This is accurate, they are advertivising positions on Infojobs, and will be called Dealz.

I see 1371 people have so far applied for the 10 vacancies in Torremolinos
Luckily, they're planning to open 9 more shops soon...

[Miro]

Well, Dealz seems to be doing nicely, flogging stuff like cooking oil for €1.50, even though you can buy a Spanish brand of the same thing in nearby Mercadona for €1.10 .....oh well, at least something is working here. The train station has been getting a bit of a face lift too; still no sign of a lift for disabled access though, despite the fact that bars & cafes have to install ramps and disabled toilets, on pain of massive fines.

We went to Arroyo de la Miel last night. Had a nice snack at Mr.Noodles, which is in a prime location opposite the station on the main drag. Every table, inside & out, packed. Same at pretty much every establishment in town, it seemed. Very lively atmosphere - and clean.

Mr.Noodles have a branch in Torremolinos too. It's on a side street at one end of town. No terrace. It may be doing OK, I'm not sure, but presumably they are where they are because they can't afford the extortionate rents demanded for any of the (many) empty locales in prime spots on the main road.

It's a shame. So much potential.

[Miro]

Was out last night enjoying a couple of Mojitos, and happy to report that the town centre was alive and kicking, with a craft fair thingy in the Nogalera plaza, and bars & restaurants seemingly doing OK

[anyroads]

Hope to spend a few days in Malaga early November, on our way to somewhere else.

Anything on the must see list ?( I know costakid is a big fan )


anyroads

[scotty]

El Pimpi. (despite what others will say ). The square in front of the Cathedral at night for a drink. Lots of good sea food restaurants in the side streets.

[costakid]

Agree with Scotty on all of that and wander down the port if the weather is nice. Malaga is full of top class eateries. Cathedral area is more expensive because your paying tourist prices. Meson Iberico is the best tapas restaurant in Malaga. Its in Calle Pinzon just off Alameda Colon. Well worth a visit. Rammed with locals.

[anyroads]

Noted chaps and thanks.


anyroads

[Miro]

Torremolinos won't be quiet tonight.

Tonight, and on the 23rd & 30th, businesses are allowed to stay open to 2:00am (I'm not sure if this means Dealz/Poundland etc. or just catering establishments), have bars outside, and have live music. http://www.torremolinos.es/2014/07/torr ... en-agosto/
Right now, the entertainment for the cafe next door to us, and in the square down the road, are both doing their sound checks, and we're getting the full stereo effect. Clearly, this has been carefully planned in the traditional meticulous Spanish way, and it's going to be a cacophony of muddled sounds, but heh! at least Torremolinos won't be quiet this night!

I believe there is 50% discount on public parking as well (which still is probably more expensive than parking in Malaga, but a step in the right direction). Just don't come by train if you have any physical infirmity, because the recent renovation of the station did NOT include the installation of a lift. Oh well, we can't have it all, I suppose!

[Miro]

I can confirm, it was not quiet last night!
Good atmosphere around town, but the live music was mostly pretty poor, and way too loud.
Back in the good old days.....http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/ ... ravel-bug/

[MarkF]

I'd like to add to this...........

I last went to Torremolinos in about 1992, as a young man, I don't have fond memories of it. It was full of young, loud, drunk, Brit, provincial louts..............like me. This summer we used a friends apartment, 10th - 24th August, me now a middle aged, non-drunk, ex-pat, family man.

The atmosphere was much more relaxed, with it now, seemingly, being a predominantly Spanish family resort. I did not see any drunken behaviour or loutishness in the 2 weeks. It was busy, busier than Barcelona where we normally go for our hols. We had to queue at night for a restaurant table in and around the centre, even Bar Jerez had people milling around after 10pm for an outside seat.

La Nogalera, I was right by it, it took me a few days to cotton on to what the area was and why men were so friendly towards me on my lone late night bar visits. This area did not take off until post 11pm, I can confirm, because I could hear it whilst in bed, that it was busy until 5am+.

Architecturally, it was never nice, and as it decays you cannot expect 1970's concrete too look anything but horrible as it discolours and, worryingly, breaks away from structures, but the same can be said for Fuenigirola and elsewhere.

It's heyday has gone but maybe it can re-position itself as a CDS Sitges? But it cannot do that by accepting Dealz in to dominate (visually) a prime location, it looks bloody awful, but............ it's busy. It still has great transportation access and without it's 1980/90's louts it could be particularly attractive to families wishing to spend more cash for the pleasure of a lout-free atmosphere.

Talking of louts, I made my annual visit to the Malaga Feria, I like to go around 6pm to see the procession of ambulances arrive up Calle Larios to scrape the kids off the floor after the Spanish have given the Brits a lesson in how to get world class blasted...............

Miro lives in Torremolinos and I accept will know much more than I, but for a pair of fresh eyes, it is not a bad place at all.