FEARS OVER THE SERRANÍA’S AGING POPULATIONBy David Eade
The depopulation of the Serranía de Ronda has been of major concern over the last decade. Now added to that worry is the aging of the area’s population.
The majority of the people that have abandoned the Serranía are young. They have moved to the coast and Málaga city either to complete their studies or to seek employment. This in turn has led to the depopulation and with it a decline in the number of births in the area.
The centre for rural development in the Serranía (CEDER) says this had led to an increase in the average age in the villages. The average age in Málaga province is 37 years. This is the same as in Ronda whilst Arriate and Cortes de la Frontera have an average age of 39 years. However in other villages it is much older with Paruata on 49 years, Alpandeire and Jimera de Líbar 48 years, Cartajima, Faraján and Pujerra 47 whilst in Benadalid and Júzcar it is 45.
CEDER’s Manuel Perujo, who is in charge of demographics, says it is difficult to judge at the moment how this trend will develop. On the one hand the depopulation by young people has meant there have been few local marriages and hence births. On the other hand the current financial crisis in the construction sector of the Costa del Sol could result in some young people returning to their places of birth.
One of the worst hit areas by aging is the Genal Valley. Here CEDER has decided to start a programme to develop tourism and food farming to attract young people back to the zone.
No births in a year
The statistics related to births highlight the problems faced by the Serranía. In 2008 only five municipalities in Málaga province recorded no births. Of these four are in the Serranía – Benalauría, Júzcar, Parauta and Pujerra. The fifth, Canillas de Albaida, is located in the Axarquía.
Other villages such as Alpandeire had one birth, Jubrique and Cartajima two whilst Atajate, Benarrabá, Genalguacil and Igualeja recorded three. Over the same period Ronda recorded 394 births, Arriate 48 and Cortes de la Frontera 32.
EROSKI LOOKS TO PRIMARK FOR ANCHOR TENANT
The Eroski commercial centre in Ronda will be its biggest in Andalucía. The supermarket group has looked to Britain for its key anchor tenant and selected Primark – the UK’s top fashion chain.
The mayor of Ronda, Antonio Marín, referred to Primark at a recent press conference on the Eroski development. Primark has 187 shops in Ireland operating as Penneys with other branches in the UK, Holland and already has four in Spain. The Ronda outlet will be its second in Andalucía.
Primark is now owned by Associated British Foods and employs 27,500 people. It has made its mark in the UK’s high streets by being a high volume fashion outlet that offers good quality clothing at competitive prices. It aims itself at young fashion conscious people, largely women although it does have men’s and children’s departments.
The mayor says he hopes this familiar High Street name will attract the many Britons living on the Costa del Sol to Ronda. Eroski hopes that its successful formula will bring shoppers flocking to its new development and encourage other major companies to locate there.
Currently the Ronda football stadium, where the commercial centre will be located, just bears a giant billboard announcing Eroski’s imminent arrival but no other signs of activity. However Antonio Marín is adamant that work will start in May.
Once underway the scheme will see a 102 million euros investment by Eroski in Ronda. Apart from the commercial centre there will be a three floor car park, one of the floors will be handed over to the town hall and the spaces sold to local residents. Under the agreement land will also be allocated to the municipality and it is expected that this will be used for a lorry park and new bus station.
BANK EXPLOSION
The Unicaja bank in Gaucín was virtually wrecked after a thief attempted to blow open the cash machine with a gas bottle in the early hours of last Tuesday morning. His objective was to steal the cash from the automatic dispenser. The machine was crushed and the windows and doors blew in. The thief made off with 150 euros although the machine held over 7,000 euros.
HOTELS HIT
Those unemployed in Ronda in February reached 3,837 compared with 2,759 in the same month last year. Only 45 people lost their jobs over the month with most of those in the hotel and restaurant sector. Women now make up the majority of the unemployed with 1,966 of the total. To avoid laying off staff some employers have resorted to working half days.
BODEGA VISITS
Members of the team drawing up the new local development plan (PGOU) for Ronda have started a series of visits to local bodegas. The vineyards’ owners are asking for permission to be allowed in the new PGOU for construction and the enlargement of visitors’ centres. One objective of the bodegas is to encourage wine tourism as there exists in Europe six million connoisseurs and many more overseas who are a prime target market.
BIG PETITION
Over 3,000 signatures have been collected in protest at the planned closure of the Giner de los Rios infants school in La Dehsa, Ronda. The parents are continuing their campaign even though the educational authorities insist the school will merge with the nearby Virgen de la Cabeza and that decision is irreversible. The move has been brought about because of low intake at the school but parents argue that new housing will boost demand.
WEB COMPLAINTS
The local police in Ronda can now accept official complaints from the public over the internet. They can denounce cases of domestic violence, the sales of drugs, vandalism and other crimes by email. People using emails to report crime can remain anonymous. The email address for making complaints is denuncias@ronda.es and the police hope this will increase residents collaboration with the force.
POOR ROADS
The Partido Popular president in Málaga, Elías Bendodo, has condemned the lamentable state of the roads both in and to the Serranía de Ronda. He stated that whilst tourism was vital to this area it was difficult to access with poor roads between villages. He spoke out whilst meeting councillors from Alpandeire, Igualeja, Pujerra, Jimera, Benaoján, Montejaque, Algatocín, Cartajima, Júzcar, Benarrabá and Parauta.
GOING AHEAD
The project to renovate the calle Armiñán in Ronda will go ahead despite opposition from residents and businesses supported by the Partido Popular. The street is the main thoroughfare through the historic quarter and the objectors fear disruption and lost business during the peak tourism season. The mayor insists the one million euros plus project backed by State funds will benefit the whole town.
CONSERVATION PROJECT
The Algaba environment centre in Ronda has held a seminar entitled ‘Vida y Gestíon del Monte Medierráneo’ in which over 60 people took part. The theme was the conservation and management of estates and land within the Mediterranean mountain zone. Amongst those leading the discussions was Ronda’s environment delegate plus various government officials and experts from the universities of Sevilla and Córdoba.
