As from today, the following message is found on the Guaba Beach Bar website :
Dear Friends,
We regret to inform you that Guaba Beach Bar has been forced to relocate.
Unfortunately, the Limassol district administration did not agree to renew our contract for the premises we have been occupying for the past 3 years, so the Agios Tihonas Board allowed offers to be made openly by the public. We would like to extend our appreciation to the local club and bar owners who respectfully did not try and take-over our space, as apart from our renewed offer there were only 2 other offers made on the space, and only one of those bids was from a bar (whom we know were trying to shut us down since we opened, for various personal reasons). You know who you are.
At Guaba, we created something from nothing. We built a one-of-a-kind, fun-loving venue entirely from scratch, by taking a wild and unknown beach and transforming it into a spot renown island-wide for its originality and great energy. But the real reason behind our growing success has always been you: our dedicated people. Anyone else who attempts to emulate such a place will create merely a shadow of the glory of Guaba, because without our fans the place itself is merely an empty shell which no-one can fill in the same way you, dear friends, have. Everything happened from our heart and not from any master business plan.
In the end, even though our offer was the highest, the Agios Tihonas board decided that it was not valid because one of the pages of the document was not signed (a poor excuse, we feel). The truth is that some elder members of the community board of Agios Tihonas were adamant that we should not have our licence renewed, and their (what we believe to be unfair) decision not to accept our offer was greatly influenced by rich members of society who have been trying to get rid of us for a long time. Because of this prejudiced action, finally it was the owner of a large hotel who won the bid. (For obvious reasons we cannot disclose more details on this matter publicly, but we will be sure to give you the scoop when we next see you at the new Guaba).
The result is that the new contract-holder is going to chop down the lovely wood by the beach and construct yet more millionaire mansions.Now, instead of the happy bar where Guaba once stood, one of the last places left on the island where locals could let go and enjoy themselves while making the most of what nature has to offer, there will probably be another mass of unsold and unfinished villas cluttering what once was vast and undisturbed, beautiful beach and forest area. By forcing us to close, these developers, intent on changing the feel of the area, hope that they can raise the prices of their properties.
Perhaps some people are happy that Guaba has “closed”, but thousands of free-minded Guaba fans are not. However, they need not worry…because there will ALWAYS be a Guaba. This is a promise to you all. Guaba is not a place – it is a community of fun-loving people who are young at heart and free in spirit. Nobody can close that down. They can try – and have tried – but be assured that the spirit of Guaba will be always alive and thriving in Cyprus, no matter where we end up. Thanks to you, dear friends, Guaba will always be somewhere. Love it or hate it, we are here to stay!
Keeping the Guaba spirit alive until we meet again
I love u all
Yiannis
