The sound of ringing tills drowns out talk of the Spanish city being diversified.
The people who live in Barceloneta are not for sale, according to the woman who has lived in the area for half a century.
Barcelona went through a forced experiment for two years due to the Covid epidemic. There were visitor numbers that hovered around 30 million.
The emptying out gave many citizens a sense of relief as they were able to rediscover parts of the city that had been off limits to tourists.
Dozens of bars, restaurants and shops went out of business at the same time, prompting an important debate on the need to broaden the economy.
The city on Spain's Mediterranean coast is considered to be a cheaper and more attractive option than Paris or Berlin due to its proximity to the Mediterranean. Diversification talk has been drowned out by the sound of ringing tills.
The sector suffered more than any other during the Pandemic. The businesses that survived the lockdowns are trying to get out of debt. Everyone is unhappy.
"We don't want life to be like it was in the Pandemic but it also gave us a chance to see that there were other possibilities without massive tourism"
He says that it is impossible to meet someone in the street or for children to play in his barrio because it is so crowded with tourists. The two years of the Pandemic have been hard but it is also a missed opportunity.
The Gothic Quarter is encompassed by the Ciutat Vella district.
He told the elDiario.es news site that they haven't done what is needed to change the economic model.
I have been fighting for a more local economy. The past two years have been mirages.
Fermn Villar is the president of the Friends of La Ram blac.
He points out that the majority of shops and bars in Barcelona don't cater to the locals. He says that without the cooperation of the private sector there is little we can do.
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