A bar in Barcelona sparked fury by imposing a ‘table hogger’ charge on customers who overstay their welcome.
Bar Perfetto has clamped down on dilly-dallying tourists, doubling the price of coffee for those who take more than an hour to finish their drink.
Despite being a popular tourist spot, the recent introduction of a ‘time surcharge’ on its terrace has divided opinion among patrons.
A small sign on each table explains in Spanish and English how the policy works.
A coffee, for example, costs €1.60 (£1.36), But if you take more than 30 minutes to finish, the price goes up to €2.50 (£2.13).
If you are there for more than an hour, it increases to €4 (£3.40).
A photo of the chart explaining the surcharges was shared on X this week, with some questioning the policy’s legality.
The bar’s owner, named only as Massimo, defended the move after some branded it ‘theft’.
He told El Diario that he placed the ‘warning’ on tables following a fight between customers.
He explained: ‘It was one night when some people waiting for a table got tired and confronted those sitting there, who had been waiting for hours without consuming anything…
A bar in Barcelona sparked fury after imposing a ‘table hogger’ charge for customers who overstay their welcome. Bar Perfetto has clamped down on dilly-dallying tourists and has even doubled the price of coffee for those who take more than an hour to finish their drink
A small sign on each table explains in Spanish and English how the policy works. A coffee, for example, costs €1.60 (£1.36) But if you take more than 30 minutes to finish, the price goes up to €2.50 (£2.13) If you are there for more than an hour, it increases to €4 (£3.40)
‘It’s a way to raise awareness… you can’t go for hours without consuming anything, otherwise the business isn’t profitable.’
The policy has divided opinion online, with some supporting it, claiming that half an hour for a coffee ‘is more than enough’.
However one passerby told El Diario: ‘I wouldn’t sit here. Mostly because of the manners. I don’t want to have to keep an eye on the clock when I’m in a bar.’
The woman, who lives nearby, blamed the policy on the neighbourhood being ‘colonised by tourists’.
‘All the bars are designed for outsiders, and the ones with affordable prices end up charging us €4 for a coffee if we go over our time,’ she fumed, adding that she feels ‘completely expelled’ from her neighbourhood.
Massimo said the policy has not affected his business, before claiming he only implements it ‘when there are a lot of people on the terrace’.
He added: ‘We only charge this if we have customers waiting. Nobody likes to see people occupying a table you want to sit at if they’re not consuming anything.’
It comes after a string of rip-offs has plagued holiday hotspots, creating chaos in typically idyllic destinations and sparking fury from holidaymakers who have fallen foul of the ‘tourist traps’.
Last month a British woman was left fuming after being billed extra for two ice cubes at a Costa del Sol beach bar.
Brit Viv Proops, who visited the Havana Beach Bar in Estepona, took to social media to rant about the extra cost.
‘On Playa del Cristo beach today. Ordered an ice coffee at Havana Beach Bar and was charged for a coffee and charged extra for two ice cubes. Is that normal?’, the Brit wrote.
‘Is ice always an extra billable item? Seems a bit petty minded in my opinion!!’, she added.
Ms Proops said she was charged €4.50 (£3.80) for a coffee, and an additional 50 cents (34p) for ice cubes.
Another tourist had a similar experience in Costa del Sol when she was charged a ‘ludicrous’ fee for place setting at a restaurant.
Commenting on Ms Proops’ Facebook post Ceri Helena Ward said: ‘Crazy! I couldn’t believe it when we were charged at cover charge of €1.50 (£1.30) each in the area, and when we asked what it was for, they said ‘cutlery, napkins, table mats’.
‘I said we didn’t eat, only had drinks, they said they would take the charge off. BUT why is a restaurant charging for these items as a separate thing?!
‘Are we to eat with our hands or take our own items with us?! We live in Cómpeta, and before that Mallorca, we’ve never seen such a ludicrous charge before.’
Meanwhile a Briton lashed out after being charged a ‘rip-off’ fee for a sachet of HP sauce in Benidorm in early May.
The tourist was visiting the holiday hotspot with her family before stopping for a peaceful breakfast at The 4 Kings bar on Avenida Mediterraneo.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .