Voces del Prado

From the new cafeteria to the Museum halls

Conchi Montero Velasco, General Services Assistant, 1970-2014

The new cafeteria was built right under the old cafeteria. We were at the new cafeteria for around six years. Everything was different, because it’s not the same working at a small cafeteria with practically no resources. In the old place, the work wasn’t as comfortable. The new cafeteria was more attractive, more modern and more convenient for us in terms of working. We were quite happy there. Then they decided to privatize it [in August 1987]. They gave us a short exam and we were moved up to the exhibition halls. They also privatized the cleaning services and the sales-point. Everything was privatized at that time. All of the staff who had worked in other parts of the museum went to work in the exhibition halls. I’ve always thought the same: when things are your own, you always do them better. The service we provided when the cafeteria belonged to the Prado bore no comparison with the service provided by the privatized cafeteria; not in any way, either in terms of the food or the service offered to the public. We were fellow-workers and we all worked for the same place. I noticed a change for the worse in this respect. It was pretty clear.