Over-priced beer in Palma

Jason Moore06/10/2016 00:00

The other day I had a "first" in Palma. I paid more for half a lager at a Palma bar than I did for a similar drink at a pub in the West End of London. Now, this has nothing to do with the post-Brexit fall in the value of the pound, this is more to do with a small number of businesses in Palma trying to cash in on cruise ship passengers.

I think it is an outrageous state of affairs and gives visitors the wrong impression of our city. I was charged 3.70 euros for a small beer in a bar in one of the main tourist areas in the centre of Palma. To make matters worse the barman then told me to hurry up because he was closing in ten minutes. Thanks!

Palma is slowly getting a reputation for being an expensive destination. Great city, shame about the prices. This is not true of most of Palma, but there are certain areas where you almost need a mortgage to pay for a round of drinks. Everyone is watching their pennies and perhaps the time has come for the council to introduce some sort of price control. How it is that you can pay 1.70 euros for a beer in one street and pay 3.70 at the bar opposite?This is not really acceptable for a city which prides itself on being the tourist capital of the Mediterranean.

I mentioned London at the start of this article simply as a guide, because as we all know London is not cheap either. I consider these high prices as an insult to both Palma residents and visiting tourists. I can tell you; that bar will not see me again.

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3 comments

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Richard Pearson | over 8 years ago

I agree with Ron. There are places where you can have a small caña PLUS a tapa from 1 euro upwards. After 8 cañas, I tend to lose track of the amount of tapas I have actually had.

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Ron | over 8 years ago

Jason - I am also very conscious of the beer prices. In Palma I always keep to the back street bars, but I understand that round about the Plaça Major and Marítimo they have to charge much more due to the higher taxes they have to pay. And they all want as many of the tourist euros while the boom lasts. It will not be such a good winter for them. Up north I can get a half litre in Son Bauló for €1.50 - best I have found so far. In Can Picafort and in Tercera Edad €2. In London - keep to Wetherspoons - always best value!

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S. | over 8 years ago

Welcome to the world of being a Tourist in Mallorca !!!. I feel that you, and your fellow journalists, should go undercover,throughout the Island. To experience how Tourists are treated and greeted. With the Euro/Pound exchange rate down to €1.10. to £1.00. Then your half of beer was dear !!!.

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