The barracks increase their income by 20% from the year before the pandemic

“Sorry, we don’t have a table.” This was the insistent phrase that Murcians and visitors heard yesterday and almost every other day of the week of the Murcia Spring Festival when they tried to eat in a stall without a reservation. Not in vain, and according to the first estimates of the president of the Federation of Peñas Huertanas, Juan Pablo Hernández, the 35 inns have managed to increase their income by 20%, taking 2019 as a reference, the year before the pandemic.

«It is an important figure and shows that Murcians have taken to the streets these days. And it is time to thank them for enjoying themselves and doing so responsibly and with hardly any incidents during the most intense days”, Hernández pointed out yesterday, minutes before the closing ceremony of the Spring Festival in the garden of La Fama, better known as ‘garden of dogs’.

Although he was unable to specify what this increase meant in euros, the president of the supporters clubs stressed that, after two years of the pandemic, the groups needed “this economic boost” to resume their activity and be able to carry out their programs throughout the year. The peñas are financed, 90%, of what they manage to collect in the barracks, both during the Spring Festival and during the September Fair.

Hernández was pleased that the weather has accompanied this intense festive week in the municipality, because the rains only made their appearance on Wednesday, “which is the day, after the Bando de la Huerta, in which there is traditionally less influx of public in the barracks and we can rest».

The ladies of the Queen of the Garden take their leave. /

ROS CAVAL / AGM

Finally, the president of the Federation described this year’s festivities as “historic”, “first, for having achieved the resurgence of the festivities without incident and, then, for the massive participation in all the events that have been organized, in which There has been more public than other years. And he thanked all the supporters clubs for their “good job”; and “the failures, that there have been, help us to analyze them and improve.”

María Jimeno, secretary of the Peña L’Artesa de Aljucer, one of the three located in the garden of La Fama, seconded Hernández’s words and indicated that practically every day they have reserved 100% of the tables in the two shifts they had at noon.

«The desire to leave people has been very noticeable; They have taken to the streets like miuras », she commented. And he added that they had even been grateful that it rained on Wednesday to give them a break.

Nobody complained, “at least here,” he said, about the 20% increase in prices this year for tapas and stews, drinks and typical Murcian desserts, which the Federation approved due to the increase in food costs. “Really, not only have we not been criticized, but we have received many compliments on the quality and service,” she said as she picked up a tray to serve a table.

A group of family and friends was waiting there, led by Encarni Sánchez, owner of the Centrofama regional costume store. “I’ve eaten here four days and I can only say that everything was great, especially the rice and rabbit,” she said, “very grateful” also for the influx of customers, longtime and new to her establishment. “This year we have had more than ever and the store has been open since 1981,” she noted.

María Jimeno, from the Peña L’Artesa, yesterday in full swing. /

ROS CAVAL / AGM

In the adjoining peña, La Tarabilla de Espinardo, its president, Antonio Vivancos, list in hand, did not stop rejecting clients “because we already have everything reserved.” «We are very, very happy; we expected a good response from the public, but not so much », he acknowledged. And he commented that many diners have come in person, but many others have called. «The telephone to request a table has been bursting with calls all these days».

If there was one thing he wanted to highlight, it was that this money, in part, was going to serve to give “a happy moment” to all the volunteers who have worked in the rock’s tavern these days; as well as to be able to maintain the music group and other activities of the group.

Dances and hugs in goodbye

The Garden of Fame was the scene of the official closing of the barracks and orchard acts. The Infant and Senior Queens, Ángela Moreno and María Teresa Irles, were there, very affectionate with each other, along with their respective bridesmaids.

The president of the Peñas, Juan Pablo Hernández, the mayor, José Antonio Serrano, the deputy mayor, Mario Gómez, and the councilor for Culture, Pedro García Rex, were also present. The event was enlivened by the group of choirs and dances from the Peña La Menta, from Casillas.

Mayor Serrano highlighted during his speech that the city had had some “extraordinary” festivities; both in the orchard acts, such as the Bando de la Huerta, and yesterday (in reference to Saturday) during the Burial of the Sardine”, a parade that he described as “apotheosis”.

“I think they have been the best parties in history, with zero incidents,” he concluded.