AROUND MAJORCA

CALVIA
Carlos Delgado, has personally announced the sale of Bendinat Castle, a family heirloom, without naming the purchasers nor the figure for which it was sold.

It is known, however, that the sale has been made to the Valencian Astroc foundation, in principle for the creation of a museum. The foundation forms part of the property group Astroc, owned by Enrique Bañuelos.

The deal, purportedly in the region of 24 million euros, was closed last Monday with the signing of the title deeds. The sale includes the castle and grounds, some 700 hectares of rural territory. Delgado affirmed that there were no plans to recategorise the land for urban development.

K Ruined hermitage

MANACOR
Local people in Manacor have complained about the poor state of repair of the Santa Llucia hermitage. Its condition is apparently due to a strange story about the building's title deeds belonging to the family which built it for the Order of Dominican friars.

The first unusual fact is that in all Majorca and Manacor, no-one knows where the keys are to gain access to the Church. No clergy in the district has knowledge of their whereabouts.

Braulio Gonzalez, head of the Dominican Order with its headquarters in Palma said: “We have to return to the last century when Dominican friar Llorenç built the Santa Llucia hermitage with money from a family inheritance. The will and testament of Friar Llorenç left us the property but with a series of clauses which forbid us from having any type of business negotiation related to the hermitage. This means that the selling of just one single cup of coffee would mean we would lose the building. Thus, without income, we have neglected to maintain the hermitage. The Church on Majorca has little interest and lawyers cannot provide an answer to the situation”.

K Call for volunteers

SENCELLES
Within the next few days, the Town Council in Sencelles is to launch a campaign to attract volunteers to help give a thorough new look to the Pou Major artesian well area. Assistance from local companies will also be sought to finance the project which has been set up by an Environmental Defence Group (Gadma). The Pou Major area which is over 100 years old is located along a country road with wellheads on either side of the track next to a small stone bridge.

According to Bernat Fiol, spokesman for Gadma, the area has deteriorated significantly leaving it in need of reform and restoration to guarantee its conservation in the future. The scheme also aims to upgrade the surrounding area so that it becomes a place of rest and relaxation.

K Post Office closure

ALGAIDA
The decision by the Post Office to close the branch in the village of Pina has caused a great deal of annoyance amongst local residents who will now have to go to la Plaça 2, in Algaida, for the service.

This decision, which also affects the community at Randa, was announced by means of information leaflets distributed locally and pinned up on boards at businesses and shops.