Marks & Sparks make major investment in Spain

Marks & Spencer’s is to make a “major investment” in Spain, opening two massive department stores in Barcelona and Madrid, before rolling out to other locations across Spain. The British retailer made a humiliating exit from the continent in 2001 when it closed or sold shops in countries including France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Netherlands and Portugal. They sold off their Spanish stores to El Corte Ingles. However, they kept going with stores in Marbella and Continue reading Marks & Sparks make major investment in Spain

IU demands higher taxes for shopping centres

The IU will tomorrow table a motion asking the Junta (of which it is the minor coalition partner) to increase taxes on shopping centres across Andalucia as from 2013. They want all shopping centres comprised mainly of SME’s (malls, I’d suppose would be the Americanism) to pay additional taxes for the environmental and territorial damage they cause, and in addition, want their opening hours reduced. Malls, it seems, are the reason that commerce in Andalucia Continue reading IU demands higher taxes for shopping centres

Large Albox outdoors shopping centre is now open

“Recinto Ferial Los Llanos” in Albox, a 6,000 square meter outdoors marketplace, is now open for business and is getting some rave reviews in the press. It’s run by local businessman Pedro Maria Soto, from “Almeria Estates”. (Previous post: http://www.davidjackson.info/2011/large-outdoor-shopping-centre-in-arboleas-to-open-soon.htm)

Large outdoor shopping centre in Arboleas to open soon

Pedro Maria Soto, the owner of “Almería Estates” (lovely chap and I’m sure his involvement in the Operación Costurero will eventually be resolved) has confirmed that his large new outdoor shopping centre will be open within three month (mid April). “Recinto Ferial Los Llanos”, which cost 200,000€ to develop, is, according to Pedro, an outdoor “rastrillo” (basically, an outdoor market) with some 200 stands across 6,000 square meters of land, that will be leased to Continue reading Large outdoor shopping centre in Arboleas to open soon

Bloody good idea by shops in Almería city

The Asociación de comercios del Casco Histórico del Almería, an association of shops in the centre of the city, has had a damned good idea to get people out and about and spending cash in the city. They’ve negotiated some very cheap rents on a couple of empty shops in the centre – by their own admission, there are enough empty locales going around – and are setting them up as outlet stores. All members Continue reading Bloody good idea by shops in Almería city

El Cortes Ingles to open on the 28th in El Ejido

Despite having, last month, hinted that the new El Corte Ingles in El Ejido would not open until early next year, a surprise announcement has been made: It will open on the 28th of this month! No doubt Sr Isidoro Álvarez Álvarez is giggling at the little joke he played on the campuos of Almería. Quite exciting. I shall send Chris Marshall to go and film the grand opening.

First pesetas, now they’re accepting civil war pesetas

You may have heard that a number of businesses have started accepting pesetas in their shops, the idea being to attract those customers who have a bunch of the old coinage still stashed away but not enough to make the trip to Madrid to change it for Euros. The idea seemed to start with a bar in Zaragoza, and was quickly taken up by a number of shops across the land, cumulating with the Almeria Continue reading First pesetas, now they’re accepting civil war pesetas

Garrucha commercial centre gets back on track

The project commercial centre in Garrucha – which has the necessary permits from the Junta – has got back on track after Sevillana – Endesa, the electrical company, backed down on demands for an upfront paymet of 16 million euros. It seems that Endesa refused to carry out the necessary work to supply the area with electrical power unless an upfront payment of around 16M € was paid by the promoters, as Endesa felt that Continue reading Garrucha commercial centre gets back on track

Irish group to build large shopping mall in Vera

White Coast Investments, a Dublin based investment house, has been steadily buying up land in Vera since summer 07 and now have some 50,000m2 of land behind the Vera cementary where they are planning to build a large shopping mall with shops, multiscreen cinemas, restaurants, entertainments and the like. The project has the blessing of the town hall, which doesn’t mean too much, and is about to be sent to the Junta for approval by Continue reading Irish group to build large shopping mall in Vera