AN ALICANTE firm specialising in removing squatters has cleared out dozens of people who had taken over an empty Calpe hotel.
The old Rocinante Hotel- located next to the N-332 and four kilometres from the iconic Peñon de Ifach- has been empty since the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020.
In the last two months, all 38 rooms have been occupied by people- mainly of Columbian nationality.
The hotel owner said that he is waiting for a municipal licence so that he can proceed with improvement works ahead of reopening the premises, but he needed the squatters to leave.
He contacted a professional company called ‘Servi-squatters’ which specialises in clearing out illegally-occupied properties within 48 hours.
Around 40 employees of the firm swooped on the hotel to encourage the clandestine residents to move on, which they duly did peacefully.
Company manager, Alberto Cuesta, said that no intimidation was involved by his team in persuading the squatters to leave.
The Levante newspaper reports that the squatters did ‘significant’ material damage to the hotel and ‘Servi-squatters’ allege that they stole televisions and other belongings from the rooms.
All of the hotel doors have now been boarded up and a private security company is monitoring the premises.
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