Bars and restaurants

Restaurant sector feeling "abandoned" by Palma town hall

Videoconference on Wednesday involving the restaurant sector. | CAEB (Confederation of Balearic Business Associations)

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma08/04/2020 18:57

Alfonso Robledo believes that Palma town hall has "abandoned" the restaurant sector. The president of the Majorca restaurants association was speaking after the Wednesday afternoon videoconference with Mayor Hila and business and union representatives. Measures announced by the town hall, he insisted, "do not take the restaurant sector into account". "The only help they are giving us is to eliminate the terrace tax until December. What will happen to all the establishments which don't have terraces? They won't be getting any help."

"The mayor doesn't want to get into more debt, but he has no other choice. We are also getting into debt. The town hall needs to ask for help to make sure that the restaurant sector doesn't disappear."

An estimate is that 40% of bars, cafes and restaurants could be lost once the immediate crisis passes and establishments can reopen. "What they don't realise is that when we can open, if there are no tourists, we won't be able to survive on the resident populations of each municipality."

The association wants all municipal taxes to be suspended and the town hall and tourism ministry to develop a tourism promotion plan "to help us recover tourists and boost the economy".

There is an urgency, Robledo stressed, for determined action. If not, "we will be forced to close and have to dismiss our staff, our friends, our relatives". "Hundreds of businesspeople will be on the streets along with hundreds of working families. The unions understand us and support us. We must be united because we all have the same objective."

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Andy | over 4 years ago

Unfortunately 40% is probably in the right area. Even more unfortunate is that it will mainly be the good and more expensive restaurants catering to predominantly tourists that will close. Places like Santa Catalina will be hit hard. I expect 40% will be even higher in the likes of Palma Nova and Magaluf. The bars and restaurants that survive will mainly be those grim brightly lit bars with TV's in them for watching football. On average Mallorcan locals are poor and the restaurant and bar sector will change to reflect that. It is clear to all that their will be no tourism this year. It will most likely lead to an increase in all inclusives when tourism returns as their will be no restaurants to go to in certain areas.

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Steve Riches | over 4 years ago

Given that most income on this island derives directly or indirectly from tourism, that airlines are largrly on their last legs, that a significant number of potential tourists are down to minimum income and that many of their previous jobs may not survive - there is only ONE logical outcome for Mallorca:- serious financial chaos. It's a one-industry economy. Talk of bouncing back is nonaenae.

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Dave-G | over 4 years ago

Its very sad to say but there will be no tourists this year, so as the article says, 50% of bars and restaurants will close down. Think about that!! Its disastrous. We will all be worse off. But the world is in recession now and Holiday Islands like Mallorca are dead for 18 months, if not 2 years.

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