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Benidorm to ban 'Full English' breakfasts

The Local Spain
The Local Spain - [email protected]
Benidorm to ban 'Full English' breakfasts
Photo of a Full English breakfast: Shutterstock"

A raft of new bylaws introduced in the Costa Blanca resort could see the banning of one Brit holiday favourite: the Full English Breakfast.

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Did you spot our April Fool? Thankfully, Benidorm is not about to ban English breakfasts, tourists and locals alike will be able to tuck into a nice greasy fry up on the Costa Blanca for many years to come! 

The Benidorm town council is taking measures to clean up the reputation of a resort known for its bargain package holidays and mass tourism that include clamping down on licensing hours and the type of food that can be served.

Under the bylaw which is due to be passed by the council today and will come into effect next month, typical British dishes will be forced off the menu in place of more traditional Spanish fare.

"We want tourists to see that they don't have to stick to what they know. A tortilla is a perfectly good replacement breakfast or perhaps they could try the local pan con tomate," said Enrique Broma, the councillor in charge of tourism and culture. "We want to promote what is good about Spain," he added.

The new regulations will see eating establishments fined if they attempt to serve food that is not traditionally Spanish unless they hold a specific "food of cultural interest" license.

The idea behind the move has come amid pressure from Spanish businesses which say they can't compete with the huge number of expat run establishments serving British fare.

"We are not prepared to exclusively cater for a clientele that want to eat eggs, bacon, sausages and chips, all day. And I am certainly not going to start serving up those disgusting baked beans," Jose Risas, the owner of El Bigote on Calle de Los Santos Innocentes, in Benidorm, and one of the proprietors who has led the campaign, told The Local.

"We have lots of very decent Spanish products, Jamon is far superior to bacon for example, and chorizo beats an English banger any day," he said. 

But expats warned that they would not give up the full English without a battle.

Dave Gordon, owner of Benidorm's Jolly Roger pub, said: "We have formed a committee to fight this travesty. The Brit business owners here are a powerful lobby and we can't just be ignored. Tourists won't like to be told what they can and can't eat, especially when they are on holiday. If they can't get their full English then they will just chose somewhere else to go instead."

"It could backfire on Benidorm," he added.

Benidorm beach. Photo: Shutterstock

It is not the first time Benidorm has introduced by-laws targeting tourists.

In 2008, the council imposed strict rules that saw the beaches made off bounds between midnight and 7am in a bid to stop drunken couples getting amourous in the sand after a drink fuelled night out.

Well done to all those beady eyed readers who spotted our April Fools' Day story! Maybe it was the names that gave it away..."Enrique Broma" means Henry Joke, Jose Risas means Joe Laughter, and the name of the street is inspired by Spain’s real "Fool’s day", Día de los Santos Inocentes

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