Sardine Festival

Editor, Last Saturday we visited the Sardine Festival in Portimão.

There was free entry to the venue and once inside, there were about thirty stalls selling food and drink to the thousands who attended over the five or six days. Imagine my shock and surprise at the prices charged by these stalls. A beer was 3.80 Euros, a small bottle of water was 1.20 Euros and a plate of five sardines with three boiled potatoes on a paper plate and a plastic fork was extremely poor value at 10.50 Euros. I am fully aware that prices are always hyped at such events BUT I was intrigued as to why ALL the stalls were charging the same prices! What happened to competition? Surely, this sort of practice is illegal or am I incorrect? Anyway, we shan’t be going to the Portimão sardine festival again, if this rip-off cartel is allowed to continue.

Andrew Cartwright, By email

Portugal spears in popularity

EDITOR, I have lived in Portugal for over 24 yrs.. and 16 of those in the Algarve. I have also lived in tourist areas like Rio, Miami, NY, Marseille, etc Obviously you folks never took Statistics or System Analysis at the University.

According to Getaways, the Portuguese are ninth in Algarve being their destination… well how many Portuguese buy airline tickets to come to the Algarve. How many stay at their parents or grandparents home in the Algarve? Did you ever account that in August there was a JMJ in Lisbon?

The only way to have a true stat would be to identify how many MB or credit card was utilised outside their place of residence (privacy law) how many via verdes registered coming to the Algarve and register when returned (spent a week or weekend)… I have various businesses in the Algarve .. and I as well as many have never seen such a poor amount of tourists in the Algarve in this month of August.. but maybe an accountability of tickets bought and money spent in the Med Silves or the Fatacil or Festival do Marisco will tell you a more true stat compared to other years… there are only young couples with children or teenagers with limited income showing up.

Name and Address Withheld, By email

Renewal System

EDITOR, What's happening to SEF Automatic Renewal System? So many of us received the DUC for payment. Payment was made. And for 7 days it shows waiting for payment and then now it shows SEF Cancelled the renewal. But our money for renewal is paid! This is unfair!

Steve Selva, By email