Date Published: 18/05/2020

ARCHIVED - Alhama de Murcia street market re-opens on Tuesday

Strict hygiene measures will be applied

Alhama de Murcia joins the list of municipalities re-opening their weekly street markets and on Tuesday morning the street market will resume in Alhama at 25% of its capacity and with only food stalls allowed to sell their products.

As with all street markets, vendors and shoppers must observe strict rules.

Stalls are spaced well apart to allow for social distancing, purchasers must wait to be served behind a line 2 metres from the stall and form a queue, observing social distancing.

At the entry to the market shoppers must don masks, gloves and wash their hands with handwash.

Numbers are strictly controlled to limit crowding.

Vendors must wear masks and gloves.

Having shopped at a street market myself on Sunday I would observe that it did feel a little strange not being able to select produce as I normally do, but would recommend selecting the vendors from whom you habitually buy and trust and purchasing as much as possible from these vendors rather than standing in multiple queues. If your Spanish isn´t very good, write a list of the principal fruit and veg before you go and look them up as it’s a little difficult to point from 2 metres distance! I felt very safe and to be honest I felt the measures were a little overkill given that the husbands of the shopping ladies were sharing a coffee in a bar close to the market instead of being at hand to carry the purchases as normal and were not 2 metres apart, and would recommend a shopping trolley and some large raffia bags in which to transport produce. However, it was wonderful to be able to buy local produce at greatly reduced prices and NOT in plastic trays and nets; it was noticeable heading into the supermarket afterwards just how much more expensive the fruit and veg was after buying in the market again!.

PS: I shopped early and was out by 9am, no crowds, no queues and no hassle!

Click the link for venue info about Alhama de Murcia street market and map: Alhama de Murcia market

Other street markets open now in the south-west of the region:

Águilas: Saturday

Aguilas holds its weekly market on a Saturday morning in and around Calle Murcia in the northern outskirts of the town, "outside" the ring road, opening for the first time on the 16th May.

Lorca: Thursday

Lorca is opening its weekly market on Thursdays from 14th May which is located in the Huerto de La Rueda on the outskirts of the city from 08:00 to 14:00. Other markets in the outlying districts will not open immediately, the intention of the council being to review this as the de-escalation moves into its second phase.

Puerto Lumbreras Friday and Sunday

Puerto Lumbreras has two markets, one on a Friday in Puerto Lumbreras itself alongside the rambla and a second in La Estación-El Esparragal on Sunday.

These are open from 08:00 to 13:00 with maximum capacity of 200 people.

Mazarrón town: Saturday

The Mazarrón market takes place on Saturday mornings between 8.00 and 14.00 in the Plaza del Convento, in front of the Parroquía de la Purísima (click the link for map)

Puerto de Mazarrón: Sunday

The Puerto de Mazarrón market which is held on Sunday mornings is located in the Urbanización Bahía next to the municipal tennis and padel tennis courts, and is again open from 8.00 to 14.00.

Totana: Wednesday. In the Rambla de la Santa with a maximum of 32 food stalls. Resumes Wednesday 20th May.

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