Albufeira Council rejects activists’ proposal to snuff out Algarve’s last bullring

The PAN political party presented yesterday, August 5, at an Albufeira Municipal Assembly session, a recommendation aimed at the acquisition and conversion of the region’s last bullring into a multi-purpose space with the capacity to create 40 housing units at a controlled cost.

Based on the proposal previously sent to the council executive and made public by the PAN Political Commission on July 1, 2020, the People-Animals-Nature (PAN) party reinforced their plans for the premises to the Municipal Assembly, arguing that Albufeira, as it is a young municipality, but with a serious seasonality problem, would have a lot to benefit from in an investment of this nature.

Although it is a fairly run-down infrastructure the bullring could be converted and renovated into a complex designed to improve the life of the citizens of Albufeira, to promote the local economy through the building of shops and the carrying out of cultural events, and thus supporting the fight against seasonality.

In addition, it would have the great advantage of being able to make available to the population several housing units at controlled costs, which would make a big difference in view of the difficulty that the population feels in buying a home in the municipality of Albufeira.

Despite all the advantages presented by the party, the PAN recommendation was rejected at the Albufeira Municipal Assembly, with the PSD, PS and CDU voting against.

“This position is unfortunate, since we do not understand how a structural initiative that, in addition to ending bullfighting, was intended to stimulate and contribute to improving the lives of residents of Albufeira could be rejected,” said PAN representatives in Albufeira.

Starting from the proposal previously sent to the municipal executive and made public by the PAN party on July 1, 2020, the People-Animals-Nature party mainly focused on pushing these points to the Council Assembly:

• Albufeira is a young municipality, with a strong sporting atmosphere and with a serious seasonality problem, PAN defends the municipality’s investment in the creation of infrastructures that allow the development of the municipality in an area that does not depend exclusively on tourism;
• Albufeira’s bullring was built in 1982, located in one of the main entrances to the city of Albufeira, and has space for 40 apartments, several shops, a cinema room, disco, bingo hall and more commercial spaces, in a total area of ??10,000 square meters;
• Although it is a degraded infrastructure, it can be converted into a facility designed to improve the life of Albufeirenses, to promote the local economy and a great step in combating seasonality, without resorting to bullfighting shows;
• This infrastructure has essential characteristics for the development of the city, namely, through the rental of houses at controlled cost, the creation of an amphitheatre for cultural events, the requalification of stores and the realization of the most varied cultural events, from musical shows, fairs, sports events, conferences, among others, that is, a multipurpose space essential for the Algarve region and for the valorisation of the municipality, in a place with easy access and ample parking that would benefit not only the infrastructure but also the entire surrounding area.