The historic Collblanc market, a key facility in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and a public hub just meters from Barcelona, awaits a profound renovation. Built in 1932 to designs by Ramon Puig i Gairalt, the market needs to modernize its facilities and address issues like leaks and the presence of asbestos. The municipal project, planned in three phases, has received provisional approval, but the first phase, costing two million euros, already faces rejection from the external stallholders' association.

External vendors express their dissatisfaction, arguing that the renovation will worsen their sales conditions and that the interior spaces are too small. They request the installation of a temporary outdoor tent during the works, a request that the local government, led by councilor José Antonio Alcaide (PSC), deems unfeasible to avoid compromising the plaza's public space. This disagreement has led the stallholders' board, headed by Pilar Andrés, to consider further protests.

The council, for its part, defends the need for a renovation that modernizes the stall model, incorporating greater flexibility and services to enhance the customer experience and compete with online retail. The second phase of the project involves the progressive relocation of external stalls to the interior, with an estimated maximum provisional period of four months per stallholder. Currently, there are 114 active external stall numbers.

The renovation also includes a reduction in the number of external stalls once the works are completed, decreasing from approximately 114 to around 70, although they will be larger. The local government is also working on reforming the market operating regulations to ensure the investment's viability and the businesses' sustainability.