Tension mounting in Playa de Palma

THE Association of Balearic Beer Gardens yesterday slammed moves by the police and Palma city council to force six bars in calle Jamon to withdraw music, saying that the council's action is being fuelled by “private interests in favour of other businesses which have recently opened in the area.” What is more, the council was accused of behaving unreasonably by informing six bars that they will have to turn their music off for failing to comply with the municipal rules and regulations. The association said that it does not understand the council's actions and warned that the local authority has created a “very tense” situation in the area. Apparently the owners of the six bars which have been singled out and a number of fellow bar proprietors in the area are angry that newly established businesses are apparently being given special treatment and allowed to get away with not complying with the norms and for not having the correct licences in some cases. The bar owners are in the middle of another dispute between local hoteliers and the city council. The relationship between beer garden owners in calle Jamon and “Beer Street” has always been rather strained.