Chilly,
that's awful news Do you know howmany potential shacks are affected?
Michelle xx

.What ever next will they try all this upset and upheaval can,t be good for anyone goans or holiday makers.

Chilly, is that all along the beach or just Calangute ? I wonder if it is a pay up or else Ploy, such a shame the beach shacks are part of Goa most provide good food hospitality and advice, last year I didn't know what to expect but soon found out they are much more than just a shack.
Talk about kill the goose.

Alan

Alan as far as i know its all along the beach and my source (which was from the 'hoses mouth') replied in the negative when i asked if they couldnt just pay them off .... not this time it seems!!?? so it seems they mean business, I just dont get it, what are they trying to do to the tourism here!!??the music ban is still on after 10pm and the place is very empty still, Michelle i dont know exactly how many shacks but a considerable number this year ibcluding many large and well known ones did not get their licences despite being prepared to 'cough up' as usual, lets just hope they can reach some sort of agreement in the morning
chilly

This used to be a regular occurance a few years ago, they'd pull down some shacks, burn some, it's not the first time I,ve helped to get the goods out before they came to the one we were using, but by the sound of whay Chilly says mabey this is year zero!! To be fair though there is only supposed to be , I think about 259 shacks this year, for the whole of N.Goa and there must be far more than that between Baga and Sinquerm. Also I undrstand the limit for sunbeds per shack should be 10, I'd say the average is 40 plus I'm just back last week and walk the beaches every day and I dont think anyone could argue that there is far too many shacks ad sunbeds now, outside the usual busy areas most of them are pretty empty. At one time ther were long stretches between Calangute and Candolim where you just had the beach as it was years ago but year on year it's shrunk till the bit without beds is about 300 yards or so. The crazy bit is that the police allow this situation to develop then they take this sort of action. Of course somewhere in this mess corruption will be at the heart of it, and dont forget th elections due in the next couple of months Somewhere in there will be the real reason for whats mabey about to happen Alan

Another own goal for the Goan tourist department lets hope this paid labour can then get down to moving some of these rubbish dumps when they have done on the beach. Like Alan says it smacks of corruption, they have to be seen to be doing something with forthcoming election, the music ban fits in nicely too, I think they should change which school of charm and PR they went to as it is obviously not a very good one

I was there a few years back when this happened, it was horrendous, all the shacks were closed, a lot pulled down, no sunbeds at all. I even remember a tourist having their own sun umbrella forcibly removed. Its true there are too many shacks and sunbeds, but as others say why allow them to be put up in the first place.

yes it may not sound to fair and yes i know a lot of forum users have good friends working at the shacks,but what about the the resturants on the main streets who probably after pay much higer taxes ect.. have to compete with the shacks prices and if they have like it has been suggested had a very quiet season mabye this is were the problem for the shacks may of started steve

I can see your viewpoint, Steve, but restaurants on the main streets and beach shacks serve different purposes - at least as far as we are concerned.

For us, beach shacks are for lazing by the sea during the day, having a bit of lunch and maybe having a G&T whilst watching the sun go down, restaurants on the main streets are for having a leisurely evening meal whilst watching the world go by.

Polly

yes i agree the shacks are fantastic and what a lot of forum users love about goa but it must rub salt into any wounds into any disgruntled returant owners steve

That's a real shame. Some of our fondest memories of our trip involve lazing around the beach shacks. You really have to wonder at the logic of it!

Goa wouldn't be the same without the shacks. Excellent food, always good company and someone to shew the fat with whilst watching the world go by and having a cool Kings.. For couples where one likes the sun and the other half doesn't the shacks ensure both get to the beach. If I had to leave the beach every day for lunch I would stop going to Goa. The shacks are part of the Goan Experience

well it seems today some 'agreement' was reached and they took down only one shack that was not playing ball in some way but whether this is a temporary reprieve nobody seems to know and yes it does have something to do with the elections i am told ......... its all just so sad really but i also agree with the above there are far too mnay shacks and beds its a nightmare, it did use to be so nice when like Gramps says there were stretches of sand only, i dont know what the answer is
chilly

I heard earlier today that TIPSY shack was demolished....not sure how true this is though?
Feel the vibe you've got it in one....election time looming and the local government have to appear to be at least keeping their houses in order!!
There was a piece in the local paper yesterday about the music law, a list of dates was printed when it would be acceptable to play music after 10pm (up til midnight it said) - only stipulation being that anyone wishing to take advantage had to have permission from the local government - more money in the pockets of the panchyat no doubt
GFF xx

GFF that is the one we use I have been going there for years .....will it be up and running again next year or does that mean that he is gone for good

i think its case of just waiting to see IC
chilly

Nice day at the beach.

Sun, sand, sea and a shack getting demolished!

Lots of tourists are already on the fence about returning.

Unless they manage to do it on the night shift?

about 8 years ago they pulled all the shacks down, no umberellas or sun beds and several of the legitimate owners went on hunger strike in Panjim. This was over Christmas and certainly they were kept down for the 4 weeks we were there. We actually thought about not returning as we were almost forced to be hotel bound (no shade, no drinks - no fun!!) That turned out to be something to do with the hotels complaining to the govt that guests didn't stay around to spend their money at the hotels and the shacks created a bad impression on tourists (yea right!)
A couple of times in more recent years we have seen the 'heavy mob' official or otherwise, make their presence felt but strangely when a wad of rupees was produced they went away - to yet another shack and performed the same ritual there . Our shack owner told us he is allowed 20 beds, but usually has 40 out - we always know when something is about to happen because he sticks to the 20 only.
Hope it doesnt turn nasty
cheers Lyn x

"Lots of tourists are already on the fence about returning."

I somewhat agree with that statement but the problem about shack demolution/building demolition seems to be prevalent in the 'CanCalBag' area in North Goa. This is always an issue being raised with locals and environmental groups and will continue to happen with corruption. As we all know by now the sewage/rubbish problem is getting out of hand anyway. Increasing visitors every year and no increase (or would appear to be) in creaiting a better infrastructure for tourism.

A lot of the members here seem to go on holiday in this area who it will hurt but there's a big coastline there worth exploring.

If the new airport get's approval wave goodbye to a peaceful and relatively quiet Ashvem, Morjim, Querim. The big cats from Mumbai have already got their plans for resorts up there! (Have seen some of the plans).