An Irish expat claims to have lost £1.5m after Spanish officials blocked the reopening of his converted country house hotel.
Michael Walsh, 40, bought the iconic Malaga business to run with his wife and three children, who moved to the southern city four years ago.
I was hoping to reopen the lovely Finca La Mota in Alhaurín El Grande at the end of May.
But just a week before it was due to reopen, it was told it “did not have a hotel licence”, despite having operated as a hotel for three decades.
“They lied to me all the time, it’s a disgrace. They have prevented me from opening my business and are leading us to ruin,” he said.
“It was one excuse after another. I knew it would take me years to fight in court,” he added, claiming that local bureaucracy had avoided giving an official denial and that they were persecuting him “because we are expatriates.”
Former Cork hotel owner Michael (left) moved with his wife to Malaga four years ago
They had planned to reopen the rural retreat nestled amid mountain parks in May.
But he was told it “did not have a hotel license,” despite having operated as a hotel for three decades.
The former owner of the Cork hotel told the Olive Press: “They lied all the time, it’s absolutely disgraceful.”
“They have prevented me from opening my business and are driving us into bankruptcy.”
It claims it has “lost the entire summer season” and has had to refund more than €300,000 (around £250,000) in cancelled bookings, including 16 weddings, worth €150,000 (£125,000).
He says the renovation work alone cost €650,000 (£550,000) and added that he had to pay 25 employees out of his own pocket for a week’s work.
The successful country hotel and restaurant had previously been run by American and Dutch owners.
“I can’t understand what went wrong,” the previous owner said this week. “It has always been a popular hotel where local politicians regularly came to eat. We never had any problems.
“It really doesn’t make sense.”
Walsh says the hotel’s licence was first granted by the official tourist registry of Andalusia in Seville 32 years ago.
However, Alhaurin Town Hall officials say the licence is no longer “valid” due to a subsequent ordinance requiring hotel properties to be at least 25,000m2 in size.
They ignored a clear caveat, Walsh says, which overrode the law if a licence was granted before it was introduced.
When Walsh pointed this out to officials, he says he was told there were also “noise complaints” and warned he would face a “hefty fine” if he tried to open.
As he tries to fight the council with his lawyer, he says he is losing at least €5,000 (£4,200) every week to keep the property.
The country hotel and restaurant had previously been run by American and Dutch owners.
Walsh says the hotel license was first granted by the Seville tourist registry 32 years ago
He said he had “lost the entire summer season” and had to refund more than €300,000 in cancelled bookings.
“They haven’t given us an official refusal and I don’t understand why the city council doesn’t want 25 more jobs here. It’s because we are expatriates,” he asks.
He has so far held seven meetings with officials and is “determined” to fight, even gaining the support of a lawyer from the European Council who has contacted Spain’s tourism minister.
“I love Spain, I have never regretted moving here. Everyone is so welcoming, friendly and we are fully integrated into the community, but this is so unfair,” she added.
Alhaurín Town Hall did not respond to numerous phone calls and emails.
Neither the local police nor the Civil Guard would comment on the alleged noise complaints.
