BEACH bars across the Costa del Sol are in danger of being wiped out as owners face mounting cost problems and lack of supplies, including fresh fish and even beer.

As many as 600 bars are at risk of closing as 60 "chiringuitos" which are popular with tourists have already shut.

The Beach Entrepreneurs' Association said the problems have been caused following ten days of Spain's haulage strike and the downing of tools by the Malaga fishing fleet which is demanding more help with fuel costs.

And the group's president, Manuel Villafaina is warning that most of the 540 other beach bars are facing the same fate if nothing is resolved within three to four days.

"It is just the tip of the iceberg," he said.

Mr. Villafaina said the beach restaurants were already suffering because of the haulier strike, leaving them without vital supplies and essential ingredients for dishes and on top of this, electricity prices have soared to an all-time high.

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Now, the problems have been compounded by the fishing strike which has left boats moored in the harbour, with the beach bar association is calling for urgent solutions.

"There are already some beach bars that have closed," Mr. Villafaina told Spanish newspaper Sur.es.

"They are the ones that have just opened and have not had time to organise themselves, so they have preferred to close and postpone their start-up.

"But I'm afraid the rest are going to have to take the same path.  The fruit, the vegetables, the sardines even the Italian ones are through the roof.

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"Companies start losing money. So next week we will start to see a lot of closures."

Javier Frutos, president of the Association of Hoteliers MAHOS said the transport strike was an issue causing them great concern: "It is urgent to find a solution to this conflict."

One fish restaurant in Malaga has decided to close its doors for three days a week as a direct result of the fishing strike.

A sign on the door warning on the closure said: "We will return with the highest quality as soon as our boats return to fishing."

Mr. Villafaina said they had never been in such a serious situation and they didn't want to see tourists suffer, and feared holidaymakers would shun the Costa del Sol and go elsewhere.

Fresh fish, meat, fruit and vegetables are all in short supply and at least one big brewing company, Cruzcampo says it will have problems delivering beer if the strike continues.

"We understand the claims of the carriers because they are problems that also affect us but we also ask the Government to find a solution," said a spokesman.

"We have been through two years of a pandemic and we are at a time when the economy must be reactivated as soon as possible and this does not help at all.”

It isn't the only problem tourists face if heading to Spain on holiday this year.

Some hotels may be forced to cancel guest bookings due to strikes, as lorry drivers protest against high fuel prices and poor working conditions across the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca.

Despite this, hotel prices have also risen in response to increased demand for Spain holidays as Brits avoid going to eastern Europe over Easter due to the Ukraine war.

And Brits heading for Majorca have been warned they face bigger bills in restaurants and pubs as a result of soaring overheads for owners.

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There is some good news for Spanish holidaymakers, with the Canary Islands scrapping all Covid restrictions from today.

And Spain has changed its entry requirements to allow unvaccinated Brits who recently recovered from Covid to enter.

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