The Garachico Council remains silent regarding information requests from the operators of the Mirador de la Villa y Puerto, a venue featuring a souvenir shop, cafeteria, and restaurant. This lack of communication casts a shadow over the facility's continuity, with its contract set to expire in December. Francisco Mejías, one of the managers, has voiced his concern after nine unsuccessful attempts to get a response from the council. "We don't know what will happen, when the new tender will be released, if a transitional continuation will be allowed, if the situation of the mirador's workers will be recognized, or if the Administration truly intends to maintain the service," he laments.
The primary concern for Mejías and his family, who manage the establishment, is the employment of 15 families who depend financially on the Mirador. They wish to participate in a new tender, but the absence of municipal information prevents them from planning ahead. "We cannot tell the workers that in December they will be selling Christmas menus and that in January they won't be here anymore," he claims. This situation also limits the business's ability to secure contracts for the following year, including events like weddings and communions, and affects agreements with tour operators that are renewed annually.
In late 2023, the concessionaires submitted a request to compensate for the two years of closure due to COVID-19 and extend the contract, without success. Subsequently, they filed an administrative lawsuit for administrative silence, which was dismissed. "We could have appealed, but we decided not to due to financial reasons and because we do not want further confrontation," explains Mejías, who also notes that they received no response to later requests regarding the subrogation of workers in a future tender or the possibility of transitional activity if they did not win the new bid. These are in addition to previous requests for changes in legal form, usage, and maintenance permits.
The Mejías family, who have managed the space since 1972, have made significant investments, including completing the construction and undertaking expansions in the 1990s. The initial concession was assumed without costs or fees due to the required investment. "The tender document is very old and superficial," comments Mejías, expressing disappointment over the lack of transparency and communication. "For us, the most serious issue is that they never answer us," he asserts.
For his part, the mayor of Garachico, Heriberto González (CC), stated that "a concession of many years, which is very difficult to renew, is coming to an end, and the Council's legal services are studying what should be done." He added that "we are waiting for the contracting department to be less busy so we can respond to the concessionaires."
In 2019, the Mejías family presented a plan to acquire the mirador for 800,000 euros, a proposal that did not proceed because a council official mistakenly classified the infrastructure as public domain property, which prevents such a procedure.
