Other goals in the measure to be presented before the Full Council on Friday include:

• Positioning Barcelona as an example in the preservation of iconic commerce through local legal policies, more vitality for commerce and promotion, all set out in a roadmap.
• Developing means and tools to objectively, systematically and comprehensively gauge the situation of iconic establishments when it comes to promoting municipal policies.
• Getting iconic establishments involved in municipal policies on local commerce to guarantee their competitiveness.
• Making the sector more professional and digital through training and legal advice, plus support in managing economic activity. Between 2026 and 2021, some 46% of iconic shops and businesses engaged in training activities. Participation here is guaranteed through municipal programmes to help commerce go digital, subsidies and BCNMarketplace.

Areas of action based on preservation, promotion and competitiveness

The measures respond to three areas of action: preservation, promotion and competitiveness. Regarding the first of these, legislative changes are planned to declare the business activities of these premises as intangible cultural heritage and oblige owners to notify any change in ownership or activity. Subsidy programmes will also be created for the renovation of iconic establishments, with the creation of a mediation service supported by Barcelona Activa also to be explored.

In the sphere of promotion, continuity will be given to the Betevé programme Va passar aquí, and the introduction of QR codes at each establishment to allow users to access the programme with mobiles. The pocket guide Emblemàtics Barcelona has also been produced, and support given to publish the book Comerços emblemàtics de Barcelona.

A programme on commerce is also planned for schools, with the Geoemblemàtics initiative, guided face-to-face and virtual visits, the promotion of the Ruta dels Emblemàtics, tourist circuits and other tourist activities. Similarly, there are plans for a meeting of national and international municipal governments and organisations representing various cities to exchange knowledge and experiences in promoting and preserving iconic establishments.

Most iconic establishments in Ciutat Vella and L’Eixample

A snapshot of iconic establishments shows that nearly half of the 209 businesses classified as such in the city are in Ciutat Vella, while a third are in L’Eixample. Changes and alterations have been made to 60% of these since they were built, causing them to lose their initial consistency and authenticity, although they still retain unique heritage elements. Half of them correspond to the sectors of health and restaurants.

For more information on initiatives linked to the promotion of iconic commerce click here.