Meeting of minds beach tug of war

A compromise may have been reached over the Almadrava beach which lets Els Poblets manage it and Dénia continue to own it.

The 700-metre, or nearly halfmile stretch of shoreline is geographically in Els Poblets, but has been Dénia's property since the 14th century thanks to an ancient agreement over tuna-fishing transport routes. And Els Poblets wants it back – and is willing to go to court if necessary.

Dénia's socialist-led local government says it 'cannot understand' why the neighbouring village wants to throw away 'an easy life', whereby Els Poblets earns IBI property tax from seafront homeowners but the district capital funds and carries out cleaning and maintenance.

Els Poblets, however, says this service is woefully inadequate and homeowners feel 'neglected' as they are 'out of sight and out of mind'. A recent meeting between Dénia's mayor Vicent Grimalt and his counterpart and fellow socialist in Els Poblets, Carolina Vives, was described as 'friendly and productive', and may have hit upon a solution. Grimalt says he is willing to give Els Poblets the funds Dénia uses for maintaining and cleaning the Almadrava, including providing services such as street lights, road repairs and rubbish collection. Els Poblets would then take care of all these works itself, but would agree not to pursue ownership on paper. Carolina Vives says she is happy with the move in principle, but needs to run it past her coalition partners, leftwing regional Compromís and the European residents' party, PIREE.