Forn Fondo, established in 1911. | Archive

TW
4

Palma town hall wants to try and ensure the continuance of traditional establishments in the city. These include cafés, bakers, hardware stores and haberdashers. At present there are some fifty establishments included in a catalogue. A measure for saving them - the best solution apparently - is to promote them in brochure that will be available to tourists and to residents.

The town hall hopes to therefore be able to, for example, inform visitors about places which sell the most authentic products that are representative of Palma and Majorca.

It may be that more establishments are added to this catalogue or it could be that some are removed if they don't meet requirements for inclusion. A criterion is that a shop or café must be at least 75 years old. The personality and character of establishments are being assessed, and this means, in the case of bakers, that they must have their own ovens. The town hall will exclude places which only sell "industrial products".

Among these shops is the Forn Fondo bakers on the calle Unió. It was founded in 1911. Another is the haberdashery shop Ca donya Àngela on calle Jaume II. It has been run by the same family since 1685.

Concern has been expressed by the recent loss of traditional establishments in the city. There are different factors to explain why this has been happening. One is that rents have been pushed up, and there is no doubting the fact that in some instances these traditional premises are in prime locations.