Palma town hall spokesperson Alberto Jarabo has confirmed that bar terraces which have been established on parking spaces will have to be removed before the first of October.
The terraces were a response to Covid measures. For establishments without terrace space, they offered a lifeline when bar interiors were closed. When the town hall introduced this measure last year, the public understood the need. However, as the months have passed, patience has worn thin.
Jarabo concedes that the terraces have been in place for "a long time" and that the consequent loss of parking spaces has been an issue, even been among bar workers themselves. "There have been many complaints from bar and restaurant workers. When they go home at 11.30pm or midnight, they can't find anywhere to park. So, the measure has created a problem for these workers."
The councillor adds that residents associations have been demanding that the parking spaces be recovered. "They have been patient for months and they have understood the need, but they are now calling for a return to normality. We consider it reasonable to now recover these parking spaces."
The town hall anticipates that the Balearic government will increase bar and restaurant interior capacity to 75% from the current 50%. Inspectors will meanwhile be informing proprietors of the end of the scheme. Any terrace that remains on October 1 could incur a fine. More than a thousand permissions have been given for temporary terraces to occupy streets.
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How short sighted! The car wins over the economy? So stupid