Fears that Born will become one huge bar and cafe terrace

Palma City Council's plans to pedestrianise the one half of the Borne has not only come under fire from shopkeepers but yesterday ARCA, the association for the protection of historic buildings and architecture expressed its opposition to the project. Sources for ARCA said that while on the face of the project, priority is being given to pedestrians, the city council has a hidden agenda to transform the Borne in to a “huge terrace for the cafes and bars where all the space for pedestrians will be taken up by tables and chairs.” ARCA believes that if the council wants to reduce traffic, then the Borne should be closed off entirely to private traffic. ARCA said that the Borne was built in the 19th century and should remain largely untouched. The local commercial community has told the city council that before the Borne is reformed, all the new car parking facilities should be completed otherwise shoppers are going to have great problems accessing the area through all the building work.