Benidorm

To a certain extent it is this stereotype that the sitcom upholds. There is no reason why it shouldn’t: like Basil Faulty didn’t represent all Hoteliers and Del Boy didn’t represent all Market traders, there is no reason why a writer shouldn’t be able to write about whatever he chooses without having a responsibility to depict the yin and yang of each and every situation – it’s just sad that many people don’t have the ability to see beyond the programme to see that there is more to the town itself.

Now I’m not going to get all ‘Judith Chalmers’ on you, nor am I trying to promote tourism in the resort – Benidorm as a town isn’t even really my pot of Tetley’s.

...But I do know that there is a side to the Town that many people don’t know about and many tourists don’t get to see.

Back in the 60’s Benidorm first became known for its beach and you would be hard pressed to deny that it is still an excellent and well kept beach today very kid friendly and with some good facilities. Those that can be bothered to stagger away from the ‘Rose & Crown’ or ‘Pride of Scotland’ bars with their all day Sports channels, happy hours and belly-buster breakfasts may be in danger of discovering the old Town. Here tapas bars and heladerias are more common in the narrow and winding cobbled streets than English bars are, and it is partly for these reasons that the resort is equally popular with the Spanish.

So if anybody is watching the sitcom and hasn’t ever been to Benidorm, I’d urge them to consider that it is a pretty good depiction of just one part of the Town – not of the town as a whole.

... and yes, I do know that I’m the last person who should be preaching about stereotypes.