British expats in Spain turn bars into food banks to help those struggling during coronavirus pandemic

  • Video report by ITV News Correspondent Juliet Bremner

The empty sunloungers are a striking symbol of the financial disaster now looming on Spain's Costa del Sol.

British holiday makers left en masse when new quarantine rules began 12 days ago.

The impact of the lack of tourists was felt immediately by hotel owners and those in the hospitality sector. 

Miguel Ramirez, who works at the Occidental Hotel in Fuengirola told ITV News of the devastating ramifications.

He said: "From the second quarantine announced on the TV, it forced 300 rooms to be cancelled." 

There's no audience or money for the buskers and restaurants have no customers to serve. 

Jackie Noble, who runs the Brittania pub, told ITV News that she is already having to use her savings and the future looks bleak.

The pub owner said: "Personally I was hoping that I'd just be able to get through and just keep my head above water and things will pick up but at the moment I just can't." 

"I don't know if we'll be able to make it," she added. 

Some have already closed up their businesses - even those who remain open need far fewer staff, leaving people struggling for the basics and facing financial hardship. 

Jackie, who owns a pub in Spain, has spoken to ITV News of her struggles during the pandemic. Credit: ITV News

Chelsea Verhaaren has been forced to rely on free food deliveries after she lost her job at Burger King and had no way of feeding herself and her mother. 

She said: "I had the opportunity to get a full time long-term contract and when I was about to sign it, it was the same Monday that came in, the quarantine, so that went out.

"The less people here, the less people that there are here, the less work."

A group of British expats created a food collection during lockdown when they realised how serious the shortages were and they ended up feeding almost 900 families. 

Kara Caradas used her empty bar in Marbella to take in donations. 

"We started with just the people that were in bad situations at the beginning and then we were having chefs that used to work here and bar people and you know everybody, it really had affected everyone," she said.