A €1.4 million project to completely renovate Portimão’s old fish market, known locally as the ‘Lota’, has been announced by the town hall.
The project is divided into two phases, the first of which will cost €350,000 and involve key renovation work to the building which is “badly rundown”.
“We cannot even host events there anymore as it is too risky,” Portimão’s deputy mayor Castelão Rodrigues told Sulinformação newspaper.
A tender for the works, €80,000 of which will be supported by community funding, is due to be launched sometime this year, “probably in October”.
The second phase of the project, which has yet to be approved, will aim to turn the old fish market into a “public utility building” where all kinds of events can be held.
Estimated to cost just over €1 million, this second phase could also involve the creation of an area for “tourism services”.
The building was built in 1916 to house the town’s first power station but was reconverted in the 50s and turned into a fishing market.
By the end of the 1980s, it was used to house sardine restaurants until it was finally abandoned.
It is located near the town’s old bridge over the Arade River, just a stone’s throw away from Portimão’s many riverside fish restaurants.
michael.bruxo@algarveresident.com
