An Irish pub in the centre of Malaga has responded to a viral video suggesting they had charged an ‘expat tax’ to a South African couple.
Heidi and Jethro said they were stunned upon receiving the bill after enjoying a pub quiz in the centre of the tourist city.
They said in a post on Facebook that they were particularly surprised given that the menu listed the wine at €6 per glass.
‘We didn’t want to walk out and ruin the quiz vibes with our friend, but wow… I’ve lived in Spain long enough to know when the “expat tax” is being applied,’ Heidi said.
The influencers share their experiences of living in Malaga on the ‘Spain on Foot‘ website and social media channels.
They said they had headed out to a local spot for a trivia night after enjoying their anniversary dinner – but things went south when they got the bill.
Heidi explained: ‘I was absolutely flabbergasted to see that a single glass of wine was 7€.
‘But here is the kicker: their own menu (and website!) clearly states that a glass of wine is €6. Somehow, by the time it reached our table, it ‘magically’ became €7.
‘In Spain, charging more than the listed menu price isn’t just cheeky, it’s actually illegal.’
She added: ‘We had a friend with us who is originally from the Isle of Man but lives here in Malaga. He’s used to paying £8+ back on the island, but even he was stunned…
‘While €8 might be normal in a high-cost area like the Isle of Man, paying €7 for a standard glass of house wine in the heart of Andalucia, the land of incredible, affordable vineyards, feels like a total tourist trap move.’
Heidi claimed she was offered a bottle of wine was being sold for €45, despite being available for €6 at the local supermarket.
‘I’m sharing this purely as a consumer experience to hear your thoughts on local pricing trends,’ she said.
The bar in question is O’Connors, who told the Spanish Eye that a mistake was made on the bill – but that no underhand ‘tax’ was being applied.
A spokesperson said: ‘It was indeed a mistake. That’s the price on the old menu, and the new
one, which we’ve attached, shows the price as €6.
‘Regarding prices, whether we’re expensive or cheap… we’re expensive. A bottle of wine in the supermarket might even cost less than €45, but that’s not the same thing.
‘The person who complained received a full refund without any problem, and we’re not even going to address the ‘expatriate tax’ and other similar issues.
‘We’re a bar in the centre of Malaga, and our prices reflect our expenses.’
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
