Popular Spanish shop bans tourists from taking free selfies & threatens fines to anyone caught
A POPULAR Spanish shop that tourists have been treating like an attraction is no longer allowing people to take free pictures.
Queviures Múrria, in Barcelona, has been open for more than 100 years.
Having first opened in 1898, the shop has some of the original facade including beautiful 1920s windows and vintage adverts.
This has led to tourists visiting it to take pictures without buying anything.
While staff initially joked that they should charge people who visit but don’t shop, a sign has since been put up on the door.
Written in English, it states: “Visit just looking (inside) €5 per person, thank you.”
Business Manager Toni Merino told local media: “They come in and didn’t even say hello – on Wednesday we counted 25 in an hour.
“It was frustrating to have so many tourists taking pictures saying ‘I’m only looking’ and disturbing the people eating in the restaurant.”
Staff have since said they won’t charge anyone, but that it has already worked as a deterrent.
Tourists now visiting the shop look in through the window, but don’t go into the shop just to gawk.
Toni added it “doesn’t earn them extra money” as they haven’t charged anyone yet, but is instead being used as a deterrent.
Despite this, lots of people on social media backed the move.
One person tweeted: “I’m fully supportive of this.”
Another agreed: “And me. You should have respect…if you aren’t buying don’t go there!”
A third said: “Totally agree, they are here to serve customers and try to sell, not to put up with tourists who don’t want to take pictures.”
It’s not the only shop to have implemented similar rules
Livraria Lello in Porto, which calls itself the most “beautiful bookshop in the world” charged visitors €5 to enter, although discounts this if anyone buys a book.
It’s not the only way you could be caught out in Spain either.
Beaches in Benidorm could soon fine tourists who reserve spots at the beach as early as 7am.
And here’s how your swimwear in Spain could land you with a £250 fine.