The Alcudia and Pollensa bars with no takers

Repeated tenders raised by the Balearic Ports Authority, which - like in Palma - is responsible for the port and its services, failed to generate any interest or a bid that was deemed to have been sufficient until 2022. A tender in February that year resulted in the management being awarded to a company called Estrella Rental Houses.

One of the tender's specifications, a key one, was that the cafeteria's hours had to be adapted according to ships' schedules. This was a pretty obvious specification, but whether it was for this reason or not, the company never actually completed the award procedure. The whole of 2023 passed and both the cafeteria and restaurant remained closed, as they had been since 2010; the company, in effect, had given the award up.

The 2022 tender was essentially the same as a previously failed tender in 2020. There was an option to pay an annual fee of 14,470 euros for both the cafeteria and restaurant with a concession period of ten years. This was the option that Estrella had bid for. Ultimately, or so it would appear, the conclusion was that this wasn't worth it.

The strange case of the port's catering facilities isn't unique when it comes to the awarding of concessions for bars and similar by public authorities. Pollensa town hall knows all about this because three bars at its sports centres have been out of action for four years.

It has to be said, of course, that four years ago there was the problem of the pandemic and so the restrictions that were applied, including the closure of all hospitality establishments. There is some mitigation, and then mayor, Tomeu Cifre, made clear that these restrictions were not "compatible" with bar and restaurant services. That was in 2020. A year later, there was greater flexibility and so the town hall started working on a tender with a view to the bars opening towards the end of 2021.

However, the opposition at the town hall maintained that there had been a "dereliction of duties" on the part of the councillor for sport, given that Covid regulations had allowed the opening of bars for some months, albeit with reduced capacity. Regardless of any possible dereliction, the situation didn't then alter - the bars at the pavilion and sports centre in Pollensa itself and at the Puerto Pollensa sports centre remained stubbornly shut.

It is now the case that the pavilion bar will reopen. The town hall is hopeful that an award for the bar in the port will be made "shortly". A technical report to evaluate offers received is apparently pending. As to the sports centre bar in Pollensa, it will not be reopening. The tender has been declared void and will have to be raised again. Next time, the town hall hopes, there will be takers with good enough bids.

The annual charge for this bar is 5,445 euros (VAT included). It has an estimated value of 221,000 euros per year, which one takes to mean the revenue generated. Investment of around 38,000 euros is required, which the winning bidder would have to make. Even so, does this not represent a fairly attractive proposition for a four-year contract? It would of course depend on the costs, for which there is no tender estimate. There are, as is standard for tenders, criteria in respect of professional competence and financial status.

But there have been no takers, and it's not certain that the award for the bar in the port will be made, which would mean going back to square one for two out of three bars. There again, there has been some movement with the Pollensa bars and it has only been four years. In Puerto Alcudia, the wait continues.