The allotment «Under siege»
Not even the pandemic stopped «Nights at the allotment». The only thing we feared was the heavens opening on a Friday with a programmed event and having to cancel. Well, that was the case until 2023. That year there were elections, and we were unlucky enough to get a councillor who doesn´t like associations let alone Hortaleza’s powerful social texture with high sense of community.
Since 2016 we have had councillors from all parties. 4 in all. The first three gave us no problems, beyond exaggerated requirements for our events. But good will on both sides solved these problems.
But in 2023 Mr Pérez arrived and has decided to mistreat what we had created. In 2024 y 2025 he has decided that our festival was not a popular fiesta, which caused many problems. He didn´t even bother to answer our allegations. Even though we reminded him that our modest event was the most participatory in the district, after the cavalcade, and that we were about to celebrate our 100th show.
Permissions arrive each Friday shortly before the beginning of the show. This, despite the 13 events meeting the requirements of the technical reports by (police, environment, acoustic control, etc.). Why? We don’t know.
He has also reduced our time schedule, taking away an hour: that was 33% of the time we had requested. We only wanted until 12:00 every Friday. This gave the performers less time, but also the audience who came to enjoy an evening of healthy leisure.
We hope this treatment will stop, and if not, sooner or later, he will leave Hortaleza, while we neighbour, will still be here creating.