Parc Central shopping centre in Tarragona has launched legal action against the city council, seeking to open its doors on Sundays. The centre argues its proximity to a UNESCO World Heritage site should allow it to be part of a Special Tourist Influx Zone (ZGAT).

According to sources, the shopping centre has filed a claim with the Administrative Court, asking a judge to compel the council to start the process of expanding the ZGAT. This move follows ongoing pressure from the business sector for Tarragona City Council to allow Sunday trading.

Unlike the Tarragona Chamber of Commerce, which criticised the council's refusal to designate Tarragona as a 'Tourist Municipality' due to the expected 23,000 cruise passengers in 2026, Parc Central is focusing on its immediate area. The centre believes current closing hours cause economic losses.

Council Dismisses Legal Challenge

The council became aware of the legal step weeks ago. Municipal government sources say they are "very calm" about Parc Central's claim, considering its arguments "very weak".

Parc Central's lawsuit is based on its location near the Necròpolis Paleocristiana, part of the Roman archaeological complex of Tarraco, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000. However, most of the Necròpolis has been closed to the public since 1992. While the exterior archaeological site partially reopened in 2013, the main museum building remains closed for rehabilitation and museography work, a €9 million investment with no reopening date yet.

Last Friday, with Parc Central's lawsuit on the table, the PSC-led government supported an ERC motion rejecting liberalised opening hours and Sunday trading for large stores. The motion emphasised support for "small and medium-sized businesses".

During the plenary session, Mayor Rubén Viñuales and Councillor for Commerce and Tourism, Montse Adan, stated their clear position in favour of "commercial balance, with lively neighbourhoods, strong local commerce, and dignified working conditions".

They made it clear that the local government "does not support the expansion of the Special Tourist Influx Zone nor the declaration of a Tourist Municipality". Such steps, they argued, "would mean opening every Sunday throughout the city" and would "only benefit a specific sector" without sufficient social consensus.

Montse Adan stressed that the city needs "an balanced, lively, and sustainable commercial model that benefits all of Tarragona's commerce, not just one part of the sector. This does not involve opening on Sundays," she said. She added that the council is working to make Tarragona "a lively and attractive city, because we know that when our streets are alive, it directly impacts commerce."

Unions and Local Businesses Back Council

Municipal sources also point out that, under current legislation, shops smaller than 300 square metres "can already open every Sunday". Larger shops can only open on public holidays "authorised" by the Generalitat.

Trade unions support the rejection of liberalised hours. Jorge Porte from UGT said, "We applaud it. If it at least served to create jobs, then maybe. But, as always, it would only serve for companies in the sector to exploit their workers even more." Eva Rosal from CCOO added that saying 'no' to free opening hours "avoids, among other things, employees having to work more Sundays and public holidays, which would make work-life balance even more difficult."

CCOO also criticised those who "still defend a tourism model based solely on increasing the number of visitors and economic benefits, without considering the effects this has on the city, public services, the environment, and the people who live and work in it." Raquel Pizarro from La Via T, a local business association, said their organisation "has always looked after the well-being of our associates" and views the council's 'no' to Sunday trading as "positive". She added, "Prioritising local commerce and small businesses is essential for the heart of our streets to function."

Business Leaders Criticise Decision

Business organisations view the situation differently. Xavier Rigau, president of Foment Empresarial del Camp de Tarragona (FOET), called Friday's municipal vote "a serious error". He believes politicians are "very far from reality, as liberalised hours would allow much better use of weekend tourists and cruise passengers". Rigau thinks "each company should be able to manage its activity as it sees fit, without political interference."

Rigau considers the halt to Sunday and public holiday opening an "old-fashioned position", noting that "many Tarragona residents go shopping where stores do open, such as Salou, Altafulla, or Cambrils". He questioned, "Would anyone consider, for example, the Bonavista Market not opening on Sundays?"

Javier Escribano from the Associació d’Empresaris de l’Hostaleria (AEHT) highlighted the benefits for hospitality. "For hospitality, it is clear that a Sunday, with customers on the street all day, has much more potential than a Monday," he said. Escribano added, "In our case, the experience is clear: activity is generated when the city is alive. And the more time people spend on the street, the more sales opportunities are generated for our small restaurants, cafes, and bars."

The debate over Sunday opening hours continues, pitting two different models for the city against each other. This disagreement has now reached the courts.