Anxious traders at the Américas shopping centre in Las Americas have demanded the place be closed down, just as the Christmas shopping spree hots up.

The shopkeepers say the commercial centre in the heart of Las Americas has severe structural faults, including the wiring, which they say the community of owners refuse to put right.

They say electrical wiring is so bad that Unelco has refused to reconnect the building until the fuse boxes and wiring are brought up to code.

But the community of owners has installed its own massive diesel generator to power the entire complex.
Fed up traders say they are so worried about the situation, they have asked Arona Council to slap a closure order on the complex to force the community to put the electrics right.

A spokesman for the traders said: “We have tried to negotiate with those in charge of the commercial centre to get the necessary improvements done.

“We would cooperate with them on that, but they continue to refuse. So we have made a formal complaint to the local council asking for intervention.”

Engineers from the council have visited the site and confirmed that it is in a bad state of repair. Traders confirmed they have made municipal engineers aware of the problems, and were told there are other outstanding complaints about the complex, including safety issues and lack of emergency exits, among other things.

However council officials have told the traders they can do nothing unless the mayor, José Alberto González signs an order to close the centre.

Nobody from the community of owners was available for comment but the mayor said he was keen to meet with the traders to seek a solution to the problems.