Boozed up Brits on tour are NOT welcome in Seville, says local mayor: Spanish council moves to outlaw scantily clad hen and stag dos ‘with brass bands behind them’ from marauding through the historic city
- HAVE YOU BEEN ON A STAG OR HEN DO IN SEVILLE? Email: [email protected]
Seville’s mayor has told boozed-up Brits who travel to the historic city to celebrate their upcoming nuptials to cover up amid a clampdown on rowdy bachelor and hen parties.
Mayor José Luis Sanz said the city council is planning to ban groups from wearing underwear in the streets and engaging in ‘obscene acts’ as he declared Seville has ‘no interest whatsoever’ in party tourism.
The mayor has taken extra offence to one group, who even enlisted a brass band to maraud through the streets behind them, adding he looks down ‘unfavorably’ on those who are ‘disturbing’ local residents.
It comes amid increasing fears from locals that the religious city – famed for its architectural heritage and Seville oranges – is being overrun by youngsters who see it as a cheap option to party abroad thanks to its good weather and cheap alcohol.
Various pictures have been posted online of groups showing off their hen dos and stag parties, with some of them carrying around blow-up dolls and wearing animal costumes.
One video shows a man dressed in a pink cheerleading costume, complete with pom poms, carrying a nude blow-up doll through the airport on route to a stag party in Seville.
Boozed up holidaymakers seemed to enjoy the music, as many of them smiled and sang along to the tunes played by a drum, trumpet and cymbals
Another shows a group of women on a rooftop celebrating a hen do, with the bride-to-be wearing a veil and the guests sporting black bikinis and pink sashes.
Meanwhile, another shows a group of stags dressed in various wild costumes – such as a cow and bull – for a stag party.
READ MORE: Furious British holidaymakers hit back at Lanzarote’s president who said she wanted fewer Brits on the island
There is no suggestion that any of the people pictured were involved in any of the antics that have upset the mayor.
Mayor José Luis Sanz has announced that the city council will ban people from wearing underwear in a public place, engaging in ‘obscene acts’ and says the city has ‘no interest whatsoever’ in party tourism.
As quoted in The Times, Sanz said: ‘Anyone can celebrate their bachelor party in Seville. What we don’t view favourably are groups of people dressed as whatever, with brass bands behind them, disturbing the many residents of Seville — especially in areas of the historic centre — who also have the right to enjoy their city.’
The bands that Sanz mentioned was illustrated in a clip posted online to a Brit’s TikTok, where she wrote: ‘This is one of my favourite moments from being in Seville, these guys were GREAT.’
The short video shows the marching band playing on the side of a busy street, as a group of men dressed in animal costumes are filmed jumping up and down and dancing to the music as those passing by stop to listen.
Those watching seemed to enjoy the music, as many of them smiled and laughed along to the tunes played by a drum, trumpet and cymbals. One of the band members even had a radio and sung the lyrics to the crowd.
Various pictures have been posted online by Brits showing off their hen dos and stag parties, with some of them carrying around blow up dolls and wearing animal costumes
Last year Malaga introduced fines of £650 (€750) for carrying an inflatable doll down the street or walking around in underwear.
One woman from Newcastle posted an image on Facebook of her friend dressed in a slim-fitted white dress and heels complete with a veil, ready to take on a night in the town.
Other videos posted on TikTok shows one Brit twerking in her hotel room and another clip saw women wearing face masks of various celebrities and drinking cheap exotic cocktails.
Speaking to TV station Antena 3, one resident commented on the situation and said: ‘It’s shameful. People come naked. You can see everything.’
Spain is a religious country where the much of the population are of catholic faith. Seville in particular is home to the Holy Week festival (Semana Santa) which takes place before Easter.
It sees locals carry huge religious statues in the streets in processions that last up for up to half a day. Both schools and workplaces close as the city comes together to celebrate.
A group of hens seen wearing groom masks on a celebratory weekend in Seville
One video shows a man dressed in a pink cheerleading costume, complete with pom poms, carrying a nude blow-up doll through the airport on route to a stag party in Seville
And it seems to be a popular place for all things marriage related, as Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo married in the Spanish city in April.
But this is not the first time holiday destinations have turned their backs on British tourists, as Mallorca, Lanzarote and Ibiza have previously said ‘adios’ to holidaymakers.
In February, tourist chiefs in Lanzarote – one of Spain’s Canary Islands that has long been among Britain’s favourite package holiday destinations – announced they were fed up with UK tourists and would make a concerted effort to attract more visitors from France, Italy and the Netherlands instead.
The comments came weeks after the director of tourism for Spain’s Balearic island of Majorca, Lucia Escribano, declared her industry chiefs ‘are not interested in having budget tourists from the UK’ – as the island attempts to rebrand itself from a destination for cheap drinks and beach parties by limiting the number of UK tourists.
Elsewhere, ‘nuisance’ British tourists have been warned to ‘stay away’ from Amsterdam if they’re only going there for ‘drugs and alcohol’ in a new ‘discouragement campaign’ being targeted at the tourism sector.
Amsterdam’s deputy mayor Sofyan Mbarki defended the new messsage, saying: ‘The aim of the discouragement campaign is to keep out visitors that we do not want. If we love the city, we must take action now.’
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