Benidorm crackdown as Spanish seaside town brings in ban at two major beaches
The Spanish resort beloved by Brits has issued a crackdown on a nasty habit at its two most popular beaches.
Two major beaches have been hit by a ban in the beloved Spanish resort Benidorm - and anyone caught breaking it will be hit with a hefty fine.
'Smoke-free spaces' have been introduced in the resort town after the City Council and the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) reached an agreement to curb the nasty habit.
The change covers Levante and Poniente beaches in order to create an environment free of harmful tobacco smoke.
Monica Gomez, Benidorm's beach councillor, said: "Smoking kills around 60,000 people anually in Spain... It is therefore the responsibility of public administrations to ensure the well-being and health of citizens."
The city's department of Parks and Gardens are also aiming to create smoke-free spaces to promote healthier lifestyle habits.
Gomez included: "It is about raising awareness, sensitising and telling citizens about the need to stop smoking and helping people to quit a habit that causes enormous damage and affects patients and their families."
Anyone who is caught smoking on the beach will receive a penalty of up to €2,000 (£1,700).
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However, this is not the only ban on the popular Spanish beaches. Tourists and locals alike are banned from entering the beaches between the hours of midnight and 7am; anyone caught on the beach over this time span may a fine of up to €1,200 (£1,025).
Visitors can be hit with a £100 fine for playing ball games outside of designated areas, or reserving sunbeds with a parasol of their own.
Drinking alcohol on the sands will leave you with a hefty £650 penalty, and you can even be fined £560 for using soap and shampoo at beach showers. There are concerns that the chemicals in shower products are detrimental to local wildlife.
Similar rules are commonplace throughout Spain. Fines for using soap and shampoo in beach showers, or walking around town in a bikini or swimwear,have been introduced in cities such as Barcelona, with smoking banned on beaches in Ibiza and Mallorca just before summer of 2023.
