Popular holiday resort issues new tourist rules which could cost Brits £1,000s
Brits will face penalty charges of up to £3,375 for tourists who flout behaviour codes in the Algarve resort of Albufeira after city hall legislators approved the strict new rules
The Algarve holiday resort town of Albufeira, Portugal, has gone to war with badly-behaved Brit tourists by approving huge new fines.
Penalty charges of up to €4,000 (£3,375) for holidaymakers who flout a strict new good behaviour code were agreed on Friday by local councillors. British tourists were first warned about the new get-tough rules in February when Albufeira 's mayor Jose Carlos Rolo announced the 'Code of Conduct' plans and put proposals out to public consultation. This week the process took a giant leap forward as it emerged holidaymakers can be hit with the fines once they are published in an official state bulletin, expected to happen soon.
People who enter bars and other business premises with their tops off will face fines of up to €1,500 (£1,250) under the new rules, with the wearing of beachwear outside of allowed areas also being tackled. Spitting or urinating in the street will be punished with fines of between €150 (£125) and €750 (£630).
And badly-behaved tourists who end up naked in public, or get caught having or simulating sex, face fines of between €2,000 (£1,685) and €4,000 (£3,375). Bars and cafes who let customers in without the proper dress code will also be hit with financial penalties under the new rules.
Mayor Mr Rolo last night signalled his intent to try to take Albufeira upmarket and win back some of the families said to have been scared off by the reports of alcohol and drug-fuelled behaviour. He told local press "tourists who fall down drunk aren't needed here at all" as he said he was seeking a three-pronged approach of 'dissuasive measures', marketing and meetings with British diplomats.
He also called on the central government to draft in more police. The mayor said: 'We want security to be visible. Sending 10 police officers to stay at their station isn't going to solve the problem.'
Only one of the 25 Albufeira councillors who voted opposed the new Code of Conduct, with critic Leonardo Paco claiming everything in it was already covered by national legislation. Other dissenters have cast doubt on the idea that police will end up going into bars and cafes to check whether tourists have their tops on.
Last summer a group of partying British tourists put on a shocking display of public nudity which led to locals questioning the type of visitor the town attracted. Footage of their drunken antics, showing them naked on their knees in a line on top of a bar counter, went viral as Mr Rolo called the display 'deeply negative' and said he would call for police reinforcements.
Eight British holidaymakers were later identified by cops. The GNR police force is understood to have discovered who they were following an investigation. The jaw-dropping scenes happened at Route Caffe 66 on the Oura Strip, Albufeira's equivalent of the infamous Punta Ballena party strip in Magaluf.
One of the revellers was seen slapping the bare backside of a pal who was part of the bizarre party train. It is not immediately clear what if any action has been taken against them following an investigation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
27 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Scottish castle that you can stay in for less than a night in a London hotel
Read on to find out how much it would cost per person ROYAL RETREAT Scottish castle that you can stay in for less than a night in a London hotel Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DO you want to live like a king or a queen during a stay at a Scottish castle? Well, you could do so for less than a night in a London hotel. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 The Scottish castle has its own private beach where visitors can enjoy stunning views Credit: Big House Experience Luxury rental company has revealed the costs per person for some of the most spectacular British castles available for private hire. And when split between a group, the cost per person is often less than a typical hotel stay. According to a Statista reports, the average price per night for a London hotel is £158 Carron Castle in Fife, which sits on the shores of the Firth of Tay, costs less per person. The stunning venue sleeps 30 and boasts a swimming pool, tennis court, gym, cinema room, games room, private beach access and dogs are welcome. Carron Castle has been described as the epitome of a Scottish fairytale escape. The Baronial-style estate has everything from sweeping staircases and crystal chandeliers to four-poster beds and gallery-worthy family portraits. As a historic ancestral home, Carron Castle strikes a perfect balance between impressive architecture and relaxed comfort. Inside, you will find an elegant drawing room, a richly stocked library, and an inviting sitting room for relaxed gatherings. Visitors can enjoy movie nights in the cinema room complete with Netflix, or let the musicians among you entertain with not one but two grand pianos and an organ. Inverlochy Castle: Scotland's Crown Jewel of Luxury Hospitality Outside, there is a swimming pool, tennis courts and a serene walled garden. The 1,500-acre estate stretches down to the Tay estuary, where you'll find a secluded fire pit spot for unforgettable beachside barbecues. Golfers can travel to top-tier courses nearby, including the iconic St Andrews Old Course. Others may prefer a day of culture and shopping in nearby Dundee, Perth, or Edinburgh. 2 Carron Castle sits on the banks of the Firth of Tay in Fife Credit: Big House Experience Holidaymakers can stay at the venue for £9,000 for three nights. If you break up the total between a group, this costs £300 per person for three nights or £100 per person per night. Gareth Allen, founder of Big House Experience said: "You can't help but be seduced by Carron Castle, nestled in it's own private estate on the shores of the Firth of Tay. "You can feel the history radiating from the walls." Pengarth Castle in Wales and Wyatt Castle in Dorset were also mentioned.
Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
BBC's The Gold analysed and what happened to other half of the Brink's-Mat loot
BBC's The Gold analysed and what happened to other half of the Brink's-Mat loot The Gold season 2 concludes the story of the Brink's-Mat heist WARNING: This article contains spoilers from The Gold on BBC Season two of The Gold premieres on the BBC today (June 8) and dramatises the infamous Brink's-Mat heist of 26 November 1983, where six armed robbers made off with three tonnes of solid gold bullion worth £26 million from a security depot near Heathrow Airport, reports the Express. The show weaves fact and fiction to recount the audacious theft, with creator Neil Forsyth commenting about the new outing: "This series follows the second half of the Brink's-Mat gold and it's also a story of the consequences faced by several of our key characters across the entire show. I always saw The Gold as a two-series show, following the two halves of the gold, so this will be the final series." The story picks up the story from the first outing, which first aired back in 2023. As fans will remember, season one ended with police officer Nicki Jennings making a huge revelation: "We thought we'd stopped them. We thought we'd stopped all of them. There was more to come, more gold, more money but he said he'd finished." She gestured towards the sum of £13 million displayed on a board, suggesting that only half of the stolen wealth was accounted for, with the remainder being divided at the outset of the robbery. Article continues below Detective Chief Inspector Brian Boyce (portrayed by Hugh Bonneville) confirmed this with a simple acknowledgement: "I know." As the episode concluded, the investigative team appeared poised to delve into the mystery of the missing gold's whereabouts. John and Marnie Palmer will be living it up in The Gold series 2 (Image: BBC ) What happened to the other half of the Brink's-Mat gold? Despite extensive efforts, the other half of the Brink's-Mat gold has never been recovered by law enforcement. Rumours persist that the unrecovered gold eventually re-entered the legitimate gold market. It was even reported by police that some of the purloined gold was sold back to its original owner, Johnson Matthey. There have been suggestions that any gold jewellery purchased after 1983 could potentially be from the stolen loot. As per BBC News, some of the gold is believed to have disappeared into the criminal underworld, later resurfacing in foreign bank accounts in places such as Miami, Luxembourg and Switzerland. Tony Brightwell and Nicki Jennings return for The Gold series 2 (Image: BBC ) It's reported that a portion of the gold was melted down by a British businessman. The proceeds from the gold travelled globally as the money was laundered and disassociated from the stolen haul. Funds from the gold were later invested in the property development boom in London Docklands. Some of the money from the gold was used to purchase a former section of Cheltenham Ladies' College, which was then converted into flats and sold off, according to The Independent. The Gold is based on the Brink's-Mat heist (Image: BBC ) Even decades post-heist, the police continued to investigate the whereabouts of the missing gold, but it seems most of those involved in the Brink's-Mat robbery escaped justice and the gold will regrettably never be recovered. This is due to the operation being executed with precision and a highly sophisticated money laundering process in place to cleanse the gold and the money as swiftly as possible. Lead star Bonneville said of the new episodes: 'In series two we see the ripple effect of even more gold being smelted and even more money being laundered. 'Our principal characters return and we see the effect the gold is having on them and the impact the proceeds of the robbery has around the world. 'Because the money is spreading so far and wide it proves increasingly difficult for Boyce and his team to keep up, especially as their operation - already criticised for being the most expensive in police history - is facing pressure to scale back in the face of limited results. 'As far as his superiors are concerned, Boyce hasn't put enough of the bad guys behind bars.' Hugh Bonneville as Brian Boyce in The Gold (Image: BBC ) The Downton Abbey star detailed how, in reality, the police investigation continued for at least a decade after the initial robbery in 1983. Boyce was on the brink of retirement and trying desperately to crack the case before retirement, but sadly, this wasn't to be. The real-life Boyce faced pressure against the clock towards his retirement, but his superiors were also concerned about the escalating costs of the investigation versus the diminishing returns. Bonneville commented on how season two would show the 'consequences' and the 'extraordinary ripple effect' the stolen gold had not only through the British economy but around the world. The show depicts how the impact would be felt in Tenerife through to Tortola in the Caribbean with even the Russian mafia getting involved. He added: 'The implications are huge, and the consequences of the actions of six men in a van really do have a worldwide impact.' Article continues below The Gold seasons 1 & 2 are streaming on the BBC iPlayer now
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Brit sailor arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after ‘throwing girlfriend into river' in Portugal
The couple had started dating around a year ago and had lived together in the yacht RIVER HORROR Brit sailor arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after 'throwing girlfriend into river' in Portugal Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A BRITISH sailor has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after allegedly throwing his non-swimmer girlfriend into a Portuguese river. The 60-year-old was accused of abandoning the scene as his partner, saved by the crew of another boat who saw her in distress, began to drown. 2 A Brit sailor has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder 2 The drama occurred on the River Tagus off the town of Oeiras Credit: Getty The horror incident occurred on the River Tagus off the town of Oeiras in the western part of Lisbon's metropolitan area. The unnamed Brit was tracked down and arrested before being remanded in custody pending an ongoing criminal investigation after being hauled before a judge. He is continuing to be probed on suspicion of domestic violence and attempted homicide. The woman, who has been described as a foreigner and is also thought to be a Brit - although police haven't released her nationality - was hospitalised after the incident. Her current condition is not known. Public prosecutors told local press the couple had started dating around a year ago and had lived together in the yacht owned by the man who has been arrested since December last year. One told Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha the Brit skipper allegedly 'threw his victim into the river during a row' before abandoning the scene on his yacht 'knowing she couldn't swim". Maritime Police intercepted the suspect before he was formally arrested by officers from Portugal's PSP police force. The arrest is understood to have happened hours after the May 30 incident. The yacht has been seized by investigators. MIMIR DUPLICATE - LEAVE FOR TESTING Diver, 39, dies working to recover Mike Lynch's sunken superyacht Bayesian just days after salvage operation began Portuguese police could not be reached early this morning for a formal comment. The Tagus is the longest river in the Iberian peninsula. It rises in the Sierra de Albarracin in eastern Spain, about 90 miles from the Mediterranean coast. It flows westward across Spain and Portugal for 626 miles to empty into the Atlantic Ocean near Lisbon.
