A €3.5 million project to turn Silves landmark Fábrica do Inglês into an Aldi supermarket has hit the skids as the town council is united in its opposition.
This is one of the first times the split executive has voted as one, and shows the strength of feeling over the historic site.
While the project’s developer claims an Aldi could help “revitalise and rehabilitate the abandoned Fábrica”, the non-majority CDU council (always at the mercy of its Socialist and PSD members) is adamant: the site has a “history that is not compatible with the opening of a supermarket”.
Ratisbona, the German multinational behind the plan, told the Resident that its plan involves a 900m2 supermarket with an 80-space parking lot.
The supermarket would be built where the complex used to hold shows, concerts and other events, said Henrique Torres, a spokesman for the company’s expansions department.
“It wouldn’t affect the area of the complex where the cork museum is located,” he explained, stressing that Ratisbona has even taken special care to adapt the project to the complex’s overall architectural aspect, maintaining its “traditional dark yellow colours”.
But thus far very little has impressed the council. Mayoress Rosa Palma is understood to have said Ratisbona will be welcome on another site, but not this one.
She told us that council officials believe there are “better locations” in the borough for an Aldi. Ratisbona is not so sure – and €3.5 million is a lot to risk.
“Fábrica do Inglês is the only location that we believe is viable,” Torres emphasised the dilemma.
“It is located near the city’s centre, where there are many pedestrians and passing cars. I do not see any other alternative that will justify our €3.5 million investment.”
Full-steam ahead for reopening of cork museum
Meantime, Mayoress Rosa Palma told us her council is doing everything it can to reopen the site’s cork museum. Ongoing is an attempt to get the museum’s assets “classified as of municipal interest”.
Since a recent auction, supermarket group Grupo Nogueira owns the €36,000 worth of museum assets, while the whole Fábrica site is still in the hands of Caixa Geral de Depósitos.
By MICHAEL BRUXO
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