Suffice it to say that the seaside town in question, Puerto Pollensa, was not losing all its tourists. But apparently it was losing "many", according to the local hoteliers president, Jaume Salas. Ok, and how many is many, who have apparently been switching holiday plans by going to Alcudia, where there have been beach services since the start of the season? Answer? We don't know.
The big issues on the beaches, for at least some holidaymakers, are neither big nor an issue. They are not bothered by the absence of services. This said, the services do matter, as they include hygiene, while people do prefer a lounger to the sand. And that's fair enough.
The town hall finally having resolved the matter, by far the greatest issue is how and why it was allowed to get to a situation whereby there were no services until the second week of July, two months on from the official start of the season - May the first. Just to remind you. The first tender for the renewal of the beach concessions wasn't actually presented until April 20. This had a deadline of May 6, so the start of the season was always going to be missed because the tender was as late as it was.
Why was it so late? It wasn't solely due to a Balearic government coasts department's inertia. (The department has assumed the Costas Authority's previous role of always being blamed for this sort of thing.) The mayor, Martí March, admitted that things could have been done earlier, these things including new documentation that was required.
The town hall would have got away with it if it hadn't been for the new terms of the concession - a 130% increase in the town hall charge in particular. No one entered a bid, at which point it seemed to be clear that there was only the one potential bidder, the Puerto Pollensa Residents Association. I am still left to wonder why there don't appear to be other interested parties, but be that as it may.
It then took until June 14 for the revised tender to be published. Why so long? No one has explained why and nor have they explained the hiatus that followed until this week and when, according to the UK paper, Puerto Pollensa had been consumed by panic. There had to be a "significant" decrease in the charge, said the mayor. You bet your life there had to be, begging a question as to why it had originally gone up so much. Again, no explanation.
Jaume Salas, despite the "many" who've apparently been abandoning the Good Ship Puerto Pollensa, has sounded remarkably conciliatory. "The mayor has shown us his support and is doing everything possible to expedite the procedures." The opposition Tots-El Pi, who towards the end of April had warned that the season was "endangered" because of the lack of services, have meanwhile criticised "lack of foresight and neglect".
There never was a panic, but if there had been, it is now over. But the matter surely can't be allowed to lie, as it has raised questions (and certainly not for the first time) about town hall management of the beaches.
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Was there this evening. Seemed busy enough to me. Overpriced restaurants on the front, better value behind. Loads of Brits. Beaches seemed ok although I wouldn’t swim there. Not rammed, it was fine. It’s all getting way too hysterical.
Aside from the hype or bias, the reality is that the town and its restaurants and bars are noticeably quieter than usual. It's also difficult to see how the beach bars will open and make a go of it in the remaining weeks of the season. Add to that, what seems like an increase in the parasols, blocking more of the views and the overall result is disappointing. 2024 will be a lost season.
Well the MDB isn't above this type of gutter level reporting, ' protests sweeping Spain' , 'Waves of immigrants arriving' etc etc