Two elderly British tourists have been fined for reserving sunbeds on a beach near Valencia, Spain, in a crackdown on the practice. The men, aged 75 and 80, were caught marking out a space on the sand at San Antonio beach in Cullera before 8am, when access is banned to allow for cleaning.
Police issued fines of between €300 and €750 (£259 to £648) for failing to comply with local regulations. The municipality prohibits reserving spots with umbrellas, towels or other objects, even if supervised. Officers are authorised to remove items and impose penalties.
A council spokesman said the measures aim to guarantee equal access to the beach and preserve cleanliness and order. He stressed that the rules are not meant to penalise but to ensure citizen coexistence and the proper functioning of a public resource during summer.
The crackdown is part of a wider campaign that began in 2017 to combat the 'war of the umbrellas' on Spanish beaches. In serious cases, fines can reach up to €3,000 (£2,592). The Valencia region warned tourists and locals earlier this year that it would enforce the rules strictly.
British holidaymakers face a 'sunbed tax' in popular destinations like Barcelona and Costa Blanca, with penalties of up to €250 (£216) for reserving loungers without using them. The move follows numerous complaints about sunbeds being held for hours unattended.
