The Christmas lights in Palma will be a week later than usual.

The Christmas lights in Palma will be a week later than usual. | P. Lozano

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma11/11/2016 00:00
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here is more controversy over Palma's Christmas lights. Some days after it was confirmed that there will not be lights in certain commercial areas of the city, there is now news that the lights in the main centre will not go until 3 December, a week later than has been the case in previous years. This decision by the town hall's citizen participation department has angered retailers, who say that they are working instead with the trade department to try and make sure that the lights go on in order to coincide with Black Friday on 25 November.

Retailers' representatives met today with the trade department and will be seeking a meeting with Mayor Hila. The president of Pimeco, Bernat Coll, says that the town hall is turning its back on the retailers, as there had been agreement with the trade department that the lights would go on for Black Friday.

Eva Frade, the citizen participation councillor, has responded by saying that the last Friday in November is too early. The choice of Saturday, 3 December is, she has explained, because there is an accessibility event on the Friday, so it is better to wait a day so that more people can enjoy the switching-on of the lights.

The switching-on event will be on the Born this year; work in the square by the town hall has meant that an alternative location has to be used. It is understood that the lights will in fact be limited to bulbs on balconies.

Rodrigo Romero, the councillor for infrastructure, says that 327,000 euros have been invested in new lights, the same amount as last year. The cost of putting the lights up and bringing them down will be 522,000 euros. Changes being made this year, be notes, will mean 30% less energy consumption, to which a further 14% saving can be added by delaying the switching-on until 3 December.