Playa de Palma battle lines drawn over noise

THE Association of Hoteliers along the Playa de Palma yesterday said that it is not the tourist tax which is the problem, it is the noise levels from the bars. According to the Association noise levels along the stretch of beach front are “48 times higher than the levels recommended by the World Health Organisation.” The worst areas are the famous beer street and areas where the beer gardens are bunched close together and the President of the Hoteliers Association, Miguel Vidal, called on the Palma City Council to take immediate and effective action, not only on clamping down on noise contamination but also prostitution in the area. “It's not the hoteliers who bring such bad clients,” Vidal said, blaming the council for the situation and that “non of the establishments respect the noise restrictions.” “It will either finish us off, or we'll finish with them,” Vidal warned, explaining that if the situation is not resolved “we'll only have enough work for the summer and we will have to be 15 or 20 percent cheaper than other resorts.” The Association presented the city council with the results into an audio impact study carried out over the last 18 months between the hours of 21.30 and 03.15, which is when noise levels reached their limit - way over the WTO recommended limits. The hoteliers fear that the current behaviour by bar owners in the area is having a seriously damaging effect on the tourist industry and hotel clients are starting to complain. Vidal warned the mayor of Palma, Joan Fageda, that he lost over 500 votes in the area at the last election and that unless the council introduces new legislation that music is turned off at midnight, for example, and makes the police enforce the law, the situation could get out of hand this summer. mc.mdbUbitel.es