If it weren't for the graffiti and posters hanging in the vicinity of Ferraz Street, against the PSOE, its pacts and amnesty, no one would say that this area is the night base of the anti-Sanchista revolution that for more than a week has been rebelling amid chants, rosaries and Spanish flags.

However, there is no uprising without victims. Or so think the hoteliers who find themselves, every night from 19:00 p.m., caged in Ferraz, in the stretch between the streets of Marqués de Urquijo and Buen Suceso.

The strict police controls do not allow any customer to pass, only journalists, showing their corresponding accreditation, and those neighbors who live in this security perimeter can pass through them.

"They don't force us to close, but...", begins Maria, owner of the Ferraz 39 restaurant, on the other side of the bar. I'm still working, even though no one is coming... If anything, a journalist or a policeman. I've done the numbers and it would be better to close, but I don't want to go home because I'm not calm. I've never experienced it before, I don't know how to act," adds a Maria who is not "afraid", but does not know how to deal with it: "I want to think that this is temporary, like Covid, but it is clearly harming me. I don't do half of what I did in the evenings..."

This hotelier admits to working at a normal pace until after 18:00 p.m., although everything changes when the authorities isolate this area due to the massive influx of citizens who disapprove of the direction that the country is taking under Sánchez. "Those who are inside can stay as long as they want, but once they leave they can't come back," he says.

Police during a night of protests near Ferraz.EUROPA PRESS

Next to her, two patrons have a vermouth, yesterday at noon, inside the premises. "In the first few days, the police did let in some customers who showed reservationsfor an establishment, but nothing anymore," they said, going on to talk among themselves about the problems that the amnesty is generating.

More concise, even critical, is Nabila Baraka, whose surname gives its name to her establishment right in front of the PSOE headquarters. "This is a ruin, that's what I say," began this businesswoman, visibly affected.

"In the last week, 322 people have been cancelled," he estimates, emphasizing that "while we continue to pay everything: water, rent, employees..." I estimate that we will be losing between 65 and 70% of our turnover. When we have the most work is in the evening, we serve a lot of drinks. But, for the time being, this week it seems that we will continue the same," says Nabila, grateful to some neighbors who show solidarity and come down to have a beer while the protests last.

Despite this, this restaurateur has not forgotten the advice she was given when all this fuss began: "They told us to close. This is like the pandemic, or worse, because we're not going to be compensated. In addition, we are providing a service to the police, who have not been given a bathroom, and they all come in here. It's circus."

The Ferraz 39 restaurant, yesterday. Á. NAVARRETE

Like the rest of the homeowners, Nabila is looking forward with open arms to the last weekend of November, which is the gateway to a traditionally strong month. "I already have everything booked for November 25 and 26, both at lunchtime and in the evening... If this goes on for too long, there will be no one to support it, it would have to close," Nabila concludes.

Others take it with more resignation, such as the oriental restaurateur who serves this newspaper inside the Nippon 2 restaurant. "At night we keep it open, but almost no people come...", he said sympathetically, without seeing this situation well, since it has suffered several cancellations, with its consequent reduction in turnover.

The rest of the bars in the area have less economic inconveniences, which have been spared from police controls but not from crowds. Despite this, Encarnación, owner of Cratera (Marqués de Urquijo), does not believe that they are recapturing those customers who cannot access the establishments on Ferraz Street. "We're holding on. It is true that the number of attendees grows at night, but it doesn't matter because you have to buy more raw materials, so the profits are the same... In addition, many come to the toilet or ask only for a glass of water. We don't deny anyone anything."

  • Articles Daniel Somolinos