Turnover below zero for the artisans of the Plaça del Mercat

In the Plaça del Mercat, this Thursday, there were closed stalls.

Some stallholders didn't even bother to open yesterday In the Plaça del Mercat. | Jaume Morey

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma24/12/2021 09:12

It seems to be (bad) luck of the draw for the artisans at the Christmas markets in Palma. In the case of the embroiderer Mayte Cerdà and her colleagues from the stalls in Plaça del Mercat, the situation is dramatic. "There are days that we make cash of three euros, eight euros ... And many days without making anything, too," revealed the craftswoman, who is participating in the Christmas market organised by Palma Activa for the first time. "We are in the Plaça del Mercat and the closure to traffic of Unió street has made many people stop coming through this area. And we, all first-timers, have paid the price."

This year, there are no Christmas lights like last year, which had some colourful luminous arches that made people stop in the square to take pictures. "From the first days we noticed that not many people passed through here and we asked the City Council to put lighting but they only tell us that they will take note for next year," said Cerdà.

In the meantime, this season is already considered lost. "We thought that as Christmas came people would come. Even the merchants themselves have told us that sales have fallen since there is Acire (restricted traffic) zone," warned Cerdà. The feeling is such among the artisans that in the end some of them have still not bothered to open by mid-morning. "They only watch us if we comply with the rules and we have to open from ten in the morning until nine at night."

With a working day of eleven hours a day, fatigue has spread among them, while they contemplate how their colleagues in the Plaza España, the Plaza Mayor or La Rambla have a good number of customers as they are in an area with a lot of foot traffic. Cerdà and her companions denounced that with such a turnover until December 23, they have not even been able to cover expenses.

"I invested more than a hundred euros in decorating the stand and it took me five days to set up the stall. There is no solution, we can not go to another location or enter other markets on the island because they are full and it's late, "lamented the artisan. “Now, it only remains to wait for a last-minute customer without much hope.”