Palafrugell, in Baix Empordà, has started a pilot campaign to support the use of Catalan in bars and restaurants in Calella and Llafranc. The initiative, called El català et serveix, is led by the Palafrugell Catalan Office of the Consortium for Linguistic Normalisation, with support from the local council.
The scheme works with the Palafrugell Union of Hospitality and Tourism Entrepreneurs and offers practical help for businesses. That includes linguistic advice, reviews of menus and signs, help with written texts, specific training, useful vocabulary, and support materials for staff who serve customers in Catalan.
According to the council, hospitality is a key sector in the Girona regions, especially in tourist towns. Officials said a decline has been detected in linguistic availability in Catalan, meaning the ability to serve in Catalan when a customer asks for it. The campaign is intended to respond with concrete tools for businesses.
Support includes reviews of commercial texts, training such as specialised courses or the Comerços aprendents programme, and reference materials for front-line staff. It also draws on resources from Voluntariat per la llengua, which aims to create spaces for Catalan conversation and support team cohesion. More information on that programme is available from the Consortium for Linguistic Normalisation.
Palafrugell's mayor, Laura Millán, and the Councillor for Catalan Promotion, Maria Lluïsa Teixidor, have written to businesses in Calella and Llafranc to invite them to take part. The initiative will run throughout this year and, at first, will be applied in Llafranc, Calella de Palafrugell, Estartit, Platja d'Aro and Sant Antoni de Calonge.
After the results are assessed, the programme may be extended to other towns in the Girona regions. For more local coverage, readers can follow our news page.