Pickets left bars, cafés and restaurants well alone

THE Association of Bars, Cafés and Restaurants in Majorca said yesterday that they had received no reports of strike pickets attempting to undermine the daily business of its members.

Association President, Juan Cabrera also said that he had no knowledge of any bars, cafés or restaurants which had remained closed in support of the national strike. Cabrera said that all had opened normally to serve the public, including those located on industrial estates.

The President pointed out that Majorca's Small to Medium-sized Traders Association (Pimem) had set up a strike monitoring committee which had apparently reported no incidents of any kind, either in Palma or in outlying areas of the island.

Tourist businesses particularly had expressed concern prior to the strike that they may be the target for pickets who could force them to close through aggressive behaviour.

Elsewhere in Spain, the Spanish Hostelry Federation (FEHR) claimed that almost all bars, cafés and restaurants had opened for business normally.