By: DAISY SAMPSON
daisy.sampson@the-resident.com
AN ASSOCIATION of business owners in Vilamoura is being created to try and force authorities to act against rising levels of violent crime in the resort.
Lusort, the company that manages Vilamoura, describes the resort as “one of the main centres of attraction in the Algarve. Bars, terraces, restaurants and shops are one of Vilamoura’s key attractions.”
The truth behind the advertising, however, appears to be different and violent attacks, muggings and other crimes are an almost daily occurrence in the area according to business owners in and around the marina.
Bar and restaurant owners of all nationalities have come together to force action to be taken by Lusort and tourism authorities to stop the crime affecting everyone in the resort.
They are currently forming an association of businessmen in the area to protect themselves, their businesses, tourists and the image of Vilamoura as a whole.
A spokesman for the GNR in Vilamoura told The Resident: “We are aware of the violence in Vilamoura at the moment but we simply do not have the resources to deal with it all. Every day we take more people to court in Loulé but we do not have enough people here.”
Muggings
Ludovic Coelho from Lusort told The Resident: “Lusort is providing security in Vilamoura. I don’t believe that levels of crime are higher here than in other resorts. None of our clients have complained about violent crime. The only time we hear of problems is in the winter when houses stand empty and are occasionally burgled.”
But business owners feel Lusort should be improving security. “We pay Lusort for everything and we don’t mind paying to keep the area nice but all they seem to do is mow grass and remove signs. We need security,” said one Vilamoura bar owner.
All the business owners that The Resident spoke with preferred to remain anonymous because of fears they would be victimised for speaking out.
One businessman said: “We hear of violent crimes against customers almost daily; stabbings, muggings, people being attacked even when they give over the money, but nothing is being done.”
Another bar owner told The Resident: “Lusort is spending money on its image and creating beautiful hotels but they forget that one bad incident will stay in the memory of a tourist forever and no amount of pretty walkways will stop people from being attacked.”
Businesses in the marina area are now threatening to leave the resort if nothing is done. “We have all come together to make Vilamoura a better place for everyone. We understand that speaking out could damage our own businesses but we are prepared to do this to prevent any further increase in the current situation,” said the owner of another well known bar on the marina.
Lusort maintain there is no problem. Ludovic Coelho told The Resident: “We are currently unaware of any association of businesses. There are always complaints about the management in the resort and the amounts businesses have to pay. The strength of the euro is the real problem.”
Meetings are now underway between the businessmen of Vilamoura and the tourism board of Portugal to try and resolve the problems and increase policing levels in the area.
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