Hefty price for huge Malaga beach signs at 5,900 euros a letter

Malaga city council has decided to place huge signs on El Palo and San Andrés beaches, similar to those which already exist at La Malagueta, La Misericordia and El Dedo. They consist of three-dimensional sculpted letters showing the names of the beaches.

Artist Jonathan Pizarro has just been awarded the contract for the signs, at a cost of 88,570.31 euros. As there will be 15 sculpted letters, the cost works out at 5,904.68 euros each. The most recent ones to be installed, at El Dedo beach in December 2017, cost 38,517.37 euros.

The council’s instructions for the signs are clear, because it wants them all to look identical in style: the letters must be between 1.8 and 2.6 metres high, between 0.5 and 1.10 metres wide and between 0.5 and 1.1 metres deep.

They must be made with an iron structure covered with textured concrete and the colour of the sand. The letters will be fixed to a solid and stable base which is strong enough to support the weight of several people, should they decide to stand on it.

The new signs should be in place on their beaches in about four months, the council says.