Thursday, December 04, 2014

Closed down

Two of the markets regularly held in Guardamar del Segura have been closed because they do not have licences.

 The Sunday market, "El Campillo", was launched in 1992. It had 800 stalls and 40 bars. The Saturday market "Altos del Moncayo" had 200 stalls. Both of them were ad hoc affairs held on rustic land.

 Markets are still very popular in Spain where every town seems to have its own. The one in Bigastro is held every Thursday and sells most vegetables, household goods and clothes.

The official Wednesday market in Guadamar, like the one in Almaradi on Saturdays and the one at Playa Flamenco, sells a wider variety of goods aimed at both locals and tourists alike.

 I must confess, I have never been a huge fan of markets. I find them crowded and with very little of interest to me other than the odd stall. My parents, on the other hand, went to the local market in Barnsley every week. They used to wait until near closing time to sweep up the bargains and had to rush from stall to stall where they knew the best produce was available at cheap prices.

I recall that one of the stalls they visited sold tinned food in cans that had either lost their labels or had dents in them. It was therefore a lucky dip in their pantry – a tin might contain peaches or there again it might be beans. Either way, the contents were put to good use.

 True Yorkshire folk, even when they had money, they liked to spend it wisely!

No comments: