San Pedro del Pinatar set to ban beach nudism

Fines of up to 750 euros for all-over tanning in San Pedro

This Thursday the Town Hall of San Pedro del Pinatar will in all probability become the first in the Region of Murcia to explicitly ban nudism on its beaches, with a motion being presented by the PP almost certain to receive sufficient support for it to be passed.

The wording of the motion which has been tabled compares sunbathing in the altogether to “obscene exhibitionism”, and proposes fines of up to 750 euros for “total nudity”, while the regulations which are being debated also punish “acts of exhibitionism which do not constitute an offence according to the penal code”. It is not entirely clear what this might refer to, but the intention is to complement the existing Article 185 of the Penal Code, which outlines punishments for those who indulge in exhibitionism and “lewd behaviour” in the presence of minors, by making it illegal to do so in front of those aged over 18 as well.

The reason for this proposal in San Pedro, according to the councilor for Tourism, Silvia Egea, is that in summer the local police force constantly find themselves dealing with complaints over people “touching themselves” (or each other) on the beach. However, it has to be remembered that on the beaches of La Llana the practice of nudism has become common over the last few decades, and that in most cases it causes no complaints: for this reason, Sra Egea explains that the Policía Local will only take action when complaints are received from members of the public.

At the same time, she points out that the beach of La Llana, which is on the Mediterranean side of the headland which almost joins the northern tip of La Manga del Mar Menor, has been seriously eroded in recent years, and the decrease in its size means that it is no longer the lonely spot which nudists first sought out a generation ago.

The beach has never officially been declared a “naturist” zone, and Silvia Egea reports that the council has no intention of taking this step.

There is some opposition to the proposed ban. Ciudadanos spokesman José Luis Ros describes it as “dim and absurd”, and has suggested that the new regulation at least contain the phrase “except where it is explicitly permitted”, or something along those lines. This would make it possible for nudist areas to be declared and respected in future, a possibility which he says could represent an attraction to a different kind of tourism.

Sr Ros is also hoping to persuade the council to reduce the maximum fine from 750 to 100 euros, bringing it in line with other forms of behaviour which can prove annoying to beach users, such as over-enthusiastic ball games, loud music and bringing animals onto the beach.

The same new beach regulations in San Pedro del Pinatar also include proposed bans on leaving sunshades on the beach overnight in order to “book” a spot for the following morning, bringing glass bottles onto the beach, lighting fires or setting off fireworks, using soap in the sea and in foot showers, urinating either in the sea or on the sand, taking pets to the beach and, perhaps surprisingly, riding bicycles along the seafront.

For more local news consult the San Pedro del Pinatar section of Murcia Today.