€500 Lease for the Sports Bar in Muro — But Who Bears the Personnel Risk?

Low lease price, major caveat

If you stroll through Muro on a late morning, you can hear the clack of boules, the muffled thud from the sports hall and now and then a child calling from the playground. The small cafeteria at the entrance of the sports centre, by contrast, looks like a forgotten film prop: dust on the counter, the espresso machine silent. The municipality is now offering the space for only €500 a year. Sounds like a gift. But on closer inspection there's a big question mark in the fine print.

The catch in the contract

The reason for the low lease price is simple: so far no one has managed to run the place permanently. A few years ago five-figure rents were still being demanded. After several failed attempts the municipality gradually reduced the amount to prevent a closure. But the town makes a central caveat a condition: the future lessee must take over an existing employment contract. It concerns an employee who has been on long-term sick leave. According to budget documents the wage equivalent amounts to around €1,500 per month — a burden that small operators can easily be overwhelmed by.

Which problems often remain invisible?

Public discussions usually focus on the numbers: €500 versus €1,500. Less attention is paid to how much risk is hidden in other items. Who covers necessary investments in the kitchen, hygiene and furniture? Who bears the interruption of operations when equipment fails? And what happens if the illness continues or social insurance law creates unforeseen expense? All of these are costs that are not reflected in the annual rent but decisively affect profitability.

Politics, criticism and local mood

In council meetings the argument sounds sober: Better symbolic lease income than a lying idle facility. Opposition voices criticise the lack of transparency about the sequence of price cuts and demand clearer alternatives instead of seemingly attractive offers with hidden conditions. In cafés and on the Plaça you can hear puzzled questions: Why first commission reports that yield nothing practical, and now offer a contract with binding staff takeover? Some residents see it as a bureaucratic passing around of responsibility.

Concrete solutions — realistic and pragmatic

Criticising is easy. We should also look at how Muro can get out of the stalemate. A few, rather practical suggestions:

1. Subsidised transition period: The municipality could cover wage subsidies or social contributions for two to three years so the new operator has time to build up the business.

2. Partnerships with sports clubs: Clubs could use the cafeteria as a meeting place for a small fee; sponsorship from local companies could stabilise income.

3. Cooperative model: Residents can buy shares. This creates a community project combining voluntary and paid jobs — ideal as a meeting place after training or for senior groups.

4. Pop-up and phased contracts: Instead of a long-term lease, the municipality could offer short-term lease periods (e.g. seasonal or three- to six-month contracts). That reduces risk and allows different concepts such as a breakfast café, after-school offer or small canteens for sporting events.

5. Public support for investments: Grants for hygiene, equipment or energy-saving measures would lower startup costs and increase viability.

Opportunities for Muro — more than just coffee

An open cafeteria is more than a source of income. It is social glue: parents waiting for their children; seniors with bright but sometimes lonely days; club members who share a coffee after training. In a community like Muro, where Plaça de l’Esport is a meeting point, a lively bar can significantly improve the quality of stay. If the offer is seen not only as gastronomy but as a multifunctional space, more financing and operating options open up.

Conclusion: €500 is a signal — but not a panacea

The municipality's offer is a start. But the condition to take over the staff turns the supposed gift quickly into a liability risk. Anyone interested should not only look at the number on the paper but at the whole balance sheet: wages, investments, downtime risks. And the municipality should openly discuss the next steps and offer flexible models. Only then can the cafeteria become again what it once was: a small heart on Plaça de l’Esport where the smell of fresh coffee blends with the sound of boules.

My advice to potential interested parties: go there, talk to town hall, run the numbers — and perhaps come with a plan that delivers not only profit but also community.