Costa Del Sol Christmas Carollers Facing Criminal Charges

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Costa Del Sol Christmas Carollers Facing Criminal Charges.  Anyone caught singing Christmas carols without the correct licenses will be arrested and prosecuted.

Costa Del Sol Christmas Carollers Facing Criminal Charges

Costa Del Sol Christmas Carollers Facing Criminal Charges

Marbella County Council has confirmed today that anyone caught singing Christmas carols on the Costa Del Sol without the required license will face criminal charges.  The law has always required entertainers to be licensed, but it has not previously been applied to families singing Christmas carols.  However, in a new crackdown on rogue venues and performers the council have vowed to get tough.

Senor Roberto Cratchito explains “to be a performer or entertainer in Spain, you must have a license.  Therefore, to perform Christmas carols in public you will need one of these licenses.  Also, if you have carollers performing in front of your house, then you will need to have the same license as any other venue offering live entertainment“.

Guardia Civil Armed

The Guardia Civil’s rapid response unit preparing to arrest a family overheard singing In The Bleak Mid Winter.

Fines And Prison

The penalties for breaching the law will be stiff.  The Guardia Civil have trained a crack unit to deal with carol singers.  They will arrest singers on sight and take them to the police station, where they will be given the opportunity to present their papers.  If these are not forthcoming, the perpetrators will be fined up to €2000 and handed a seven day prison sentence.

Spain Tax

Carol singers could be earning money illegally.

Tax Implications

All carol singers must be registered “autonomo”, and declare any income they gain by performing.  In a bid to prevent child exploitation, an additional “Young Persons Public Performance License” must also be granted before anyone under 16 will be permitted to sing Christmas carols with adults.

Senor Tim Minisculo is a spokesperson for the council’s Department Of Vague And Largely Unenforceable Rules.  He told Costa Del Sol Update “People think this is just about making money for the council but it’s not.  For years, British people have exploited children, forcing them to sing Christmas songs to earn money.  It’s illegal.  It has to stop.  A license only costs €249, there’s no excuse for not having one”.  

Kevin Home Alone

A licensed carol singer pictured entertaining a home owner somewhere in Spain, possibly on the Costa Del Sol.

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Expats Outraged

Anne Fernandez runs a Facebook group where expats can express their outrage over important political issues from Brexit to the availability of discounted blue hair dye for the over 60s.  Anne says “My members are obviously outraged and so am I.  Carol singing is a wonderful tradition, it’s not about making money or exploiting children.  The council are just trying to rip us off, and it’s all because of Brexit.  They are trying to take back control.  No, that’ us, the British, that’s what we’re doing.  I think.  Hell, no one really knows.  Silent Night.  Good King Whatsisname”.

Christmas carol singers are vowing to fight this law.  Jacob Marley, originally from Birmingham, is a member of Carollers United Nationally Together.  He says “Actually I’m not from Birmingham, I’m from Erdington.  We’re going to fight this, everyone has the right to sing Christmas carols outside a stranger’s home.  No one can stop us.  Not even police with guns.  Well, OK, they can, but no one else can”.  

Fingers In Ears

Not everyone wants to hear British children singing Christmas carols.

Feliz Navidad

Some people are welcoming this crackdown though.  Senor Scroojio from Malaga told us “It’s bad enough that Brits come over and sing badly in karaoke bars.  We don’t want to hear them screeching these terrible English carols in front of our own houses.  Perhaps if they learned the words to Feliz Navidad it would be better, everyone loves that song”.

Will you be spending money on a license to sing carols? Have your say in the comments below.

Written by Charles Dickens, Costa Del Sol Update

Click here for more completely genuine Costa Del Sol news stories.

 

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3 comments

  1. Love it. My community Xmas dinner is going to be costly though. The meal is only €20 but to cover the licence when we all join in the Carol singing we are having to charge €269 per person!

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