The PAN political party is pushing Albufeira City Council to take over the Algarve’s last bullring, with the objective being to rehabilitate the space to accommodate associations and communities in the municipality that do not yet have a physical headquarters and to create a new auditorium for concerts and open-air shows, in addition to 40 controlled-cost rental flats.
It would also mean that bullfights in the city and in the Algarve would also end once and for all. This week PAN presented their recommendation plan to Albufeira City Council, so that the municipality may purchase the Praça de Touros building.
Paulo Baptista, from the District Political Commission of the Party of People, Animals and Nature (PAN) Algarve, explains that “we are talking about an infrastructure that will help to combat some of the main recurring social problems in the municipality of Albufeira, seeking to respond to the housing deficit by creating 40 low-cost housing units”.
On the other hand, the acquisition of that enclosure where, according to the PAN leader, there are a number of bullfights per year, could help “combat, also, the serious seasonality problem through the construction of a multipurpose cultural centre, where a removable cover could be placed in order to create conditions, at any time of the year, for the most varied cultural events, from musical shows, fairs, sports events, congresses, circuses without animals, among others. This investment, thus, could boost the local economy, and contribute to enhancing a vital area of the city of Albufeira” that is currently degraded.
If the recommendation is accepted, “also the stores integrated in the building may serve to further decentralize municipal services, to support local associations, as well as to create essential services such as the much desired Loja do Cidadão, in a space with easy access and ample parking that would benefit not only the infrastructure, but also the entire area surrounding”.
The infrastructure dates back to 1982 and has 40 apartments, several commercial spaces, a cinema room, disco, bingo hall and other commercial spaces, in a total area of 10,000 square meters.
Although PAN recognizes that an effort would be needed to rehabilitate the entire complex, the ring "may well be converted into something designed to improve the lives of residents of Albufeira".
Finally, the PAN representative defended that this would also be a way of putting an end to “bullfighting shows, making Albufeira a municipality without bullfighting and with a sustainable animal health and welfare policy”.
