Seaside town loved by tourists sparks fury with new parasols rules

A coastal agency in a seaside town loved by tourists has been accused of "making life miserable" after announcing new beach restrictions. Spain's coastal service announced the rules for La Concha beach in San Sebastian, northern Spain, to decrease capacity on the beach by reducing parasols by a third.

The number of parasols would reduce from 440 to 290 as they are pushed further back on the beach, which officials attribute to rising water levels from climate change that have caused the beach to shrink. Councilor of Urban Maintenance, Carlos García, explained the order stems from a report showing the tide line has risen in recent years, "undoubtedly as a result of climate change".

However, the Mayor of San Sebastian, Eneko Goia, accused the coastal agency of "making life miserable" during a press conference at City Hall following local government's approval.

He said: "It seems that the coastal authority has a mission to make life miserable for coastal municipalities," adding it was "just another" irrational decision.

The Mayor detailed other obstacles he believed the council had had to overcome, such as a planned urban development for Loiola barracks.

Councilor García defended the decision, explaining that what "until now had been a recommendation is now a requirement".

He added: "Although it has disrupted our initial plans, it's not a whim of the Coastal Authority, but the result of a study carried out in 2024 that shows how the beach has been changing recently, with climate change as a key factor."

In the region, parasols need to be at least six metres from the sea to account for high tides.

The state agency emphasised that the beaches of Ondarreta and La Zurriola will maintain their usual parasols.