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Cartagena’s little red kiosks, once dotted across the city as familiar landmarks, may finally be getting the attention they have needed for decades. After years of delays, disagreements and abandoned proposals, the Ayuntamiento is preparing to move ahead with a complete update of the rules that govern how these kiosks operate. It is a step that many locals have been waiting for, especially after seeing similar projects move forward in other cities.

 

The issue is simple enough. These kiosk businesses have been around for generations, yet most of them are now empty. Of the roughly seventy authorised kiosks in Cartagena, more than half are currently closed or inactive. For many residents, they have become a symbol of missed potential on some of the city’s busiest streets.

 

This Thursday the Ayuntamiento will meet once again to discuss the proposed new ordinance, which has been in the works since the 1980s and stalled several times along the way. The Heritage Department will present a draft that lays out a much more flexible future for these spaces. The plan is to keep their traditional look where it matters, particularly in the historic centre, while allowing more modern structures in surrounding neighbourhoods, always under the concession rules already in place.

 

One of the biggest changes is the expansion of permitted activities. The days of kiosks being almost exclusively linked to newspaper sales are long gone. The new rules open the door to ticket sales, parcel collection and delivery, and top-ups for city bus cards, along with the sale of packaged drinks, capsule coffee and ice cream. As the mayor explains, “Where before you could only buy newspapers, now you can buy tickets, collect a package, or top up your bus card.”

 

Three specific kiosk types have been defined to keep everything clear and safe. These include the traditional kiosk, the artisanal ice-cream kiosk and the churro or fried-dough kiosk, all with their own health and technical requirements.

 

The concessions themselves will remain tightly controlled. They must be obtained through public bidding, last ten years at a time and can be renewed for up to twenty. The person who wins the concession must run the kiosk directly and can hire only two assistants. Urban planning criteria will also apply, such as setting minimum distances between kiosks, regulating advertising and ensuring that footpaths and public services are not obstructed.

 

It has taken a long time to get this far. The Ayuntamiento first attempted to modernise the regulations in 1998, but progress has been slow ever since. Local associations have been calling for clarity too. MC Cartagena pressed in June for food stalls to be allowed, arguing that entrepreneurs should not be left waiting indefinitely, such as Raúl, who bought a kiosk to open a churro stand and has still not received an official response after nine months.

 

Now, after a public consultation and several sector reports, the proposal is finally reaching the point of political decision. For many residents, the hope is simple. If approved, the new rules could turn these forgotten kiosks into lively, useful spaces again. As the Ayuntamiento acknowledges, “the challenge is to make them profitable, revitalise them and transform them once again into vibrant meeting points on Cartagena’s streets.”

 

The next steps will be decided by the Ayuntamiento, before being taken to the full chamber for final approval. After so many years of stalled plans, Cartagena may at last be ready to bring its iconic kiosks back to life.

 

Image: Ayuntamiento de Cartagena