Torremolinos History
Torremolinos finding its way since the 1980’s.
by Chris Chaplow
.........continued from The tourism growth of the 1960's and 1970's
THE EIGHTIES
In the 1980s Torremolinos experienced a new wave of pop culture driven by dance clubs in London and the UK and Germany. It was called "Movida Malagueña". Nightclubs like Tiffany's, Joy and Piper's drove the new wave. However, the younger clubbers now saw Ibiza as the new "in place", much to Torremolinos's loss.
The lout culture of some segments of British visitors and the reputation of football hooligans did nothing to enhance the town's reputation. Some tourists chose other destinations to avoid the "lager louts".
In September 1988, Torremolinos was segregated from Málaga and became a town again in its own right. Relations with Málaga in the early years were difficult as they "lost" one of Spain's best-known tourist brands. However, this made little difference to the tourists.
At the end of the decade there was another property crisis and things seemed to stagnate again.
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THE NINETIES
When the new Pablo Ruiz Picasso terminal opened in 1991 ahead of Expo92 in Sevilla, there were 1.5 million passenger movements at Málaga airport.
The two biggest changes in the 1990s were the growth of the internet and the introduction of low-cost airlines and electronic ticketing. Actually, before low-cost it was possible to obtain a seat on a charter airline from Malaga to the UK for £25. It was just that you had to buy if from one of a handful of "bucket shops".
Spain's full membership of the EU (since 1986) had made it easier for British and northern Europeans to open bars and many of the least expensive on the Coast were in Torremolinos. However, too many of these were not Spanish bars with a foreign flavour but foreign bars without charm. The Black Pussy Cat re-opened as Durty Nellys.
NEW CENTURY
From 2000 on the town has worked hard to clean up its image and attract a more up-market tourist. In the town centre area it is difficult not to notice the ageing and flaking concrete. The town's tourism has become more Spanish as the British influence has tended to move west down the coast. More than one British national newspaper has run curiosity stories in the travel section on the "village life" of La Carihuela and Torremolinos - which still survives if you look for it.
The beach area of Los Alamos is thriving and vibrant, and 20,000 danced the night away at the first Los Alamos Beach Dance festival in 2015.
Some places mentioned above can still be seen today, not just the main hotels such as the carefully restored Pez Espada and developments such as La Nogalera and Playamar but also the bars... Bar El Toro on Calle San Miguel, Pour Quoi Pas? in La Nogalera, The Galloping Major in Calle Maria Barrabino, run by Manual Vega Trigo who worked there as a barman when it opened in 1964, Tina's and Figaro's, now called Happy Days but basically the same.
In 2018, Torremolinos town hall initiated a number of strategies to regenerate the town in order to return some of the glory for which it was once renowned.
The transformation of the Plaza Costa del Sol, Avenida Palma de Mallorca and the Plaza de Independencia in 2018 was the biggest facelift the town has seen in the last 40 years, turning the centre of Torremolinos into a spacious boulevard that has become the resort’s geographical centre, something the town had lacked since the 1960s.
The new design focuses on the strong link between Torremolinos and water, complete with trickling water features and the reinstallation to its original location of the old fountain; along with a bandstand, colourful flower beds and shaded areas with seating. One of the most striking elements of the boulevard is the unique pergola that creates a soft sea wave effect over most of the Plaza Costa del Sol, which was designed by the Málaga architect, Salvador Moreno Peralta.
The three-million-euro project was overseen by Peralta and involved the transformation of more than 10,000 square meters of the town, creating a Mediterranean pavement café society scene and an urban space for cultural activities The whole area has been paved with non-slip tiles and is designed to facilitate access to those with restricted mobility and the visually impaired.
Hosting a variety of different concerts, poetry recitals and art exhibitions in what has become the new ‘open air museum’, the boulevard and surrounding streets also boast a wealth of sculptures and statues.
The ‘new look’ centre of Torremolinos has attracted new business ventures, and, although some of the long-serving traditional bars and taverns are still offering their services, several new establishments have added to the appeal of the boulevard.
These include The Clock Tower, a three-story live music live music venue with a roof-top terrace that has become one of the trendiest haunts in Torremolinos. The venue is located in the old Unicaja bank building, situated opposite the Barrabino mansion, and it stands out due to the colourful mural of John Lennon that is painted on its façade.
The building that housed the former Matahambre restaurant has also had a complete facelift and has been transformed into a typical Andalusian-style taverna called Casa Pepa Taberna Biznaguera.
In the summer of 2021 gourmet market and restaurant area dedicated to the 'Sabor a Málaga' food promotional brand was inaugurated in the Plaza de Indendencia, located at the far end of Calle María Barrabino. The complex consists of several restaurants, tapas bars and commercial outlets offering products carrying the Sabor a Malaga seal. The internal courtyard and a large open terrace has a capacity for 400 diners.
The renovation of the Plaza La Nogalera, and the re-opening of the reformed 7-million-euro Torremolinos train station, which inaugurated in July 2022.
The regeneration of Torremolinos has turned the town into a contender as one of the most popular tourist destinations on the Costa del Sol. The modernisation of the tourist industry, which has brought the town respectfully into the 21st century, has not interfered with its nostalgic image or any of its customs, as the Semana Santa celebrations, the traditional romeria and feria in honour of the archangel San Miguel, or the countless festivals and cultural events will demonstrate.
Further reading:
www.torremolinos-chic.com
www.golfo.ca/torremolinos
