Palma City Council announced today that is has approved a bylaw which will put a stop to any more bars and restaurants opening terraces in calle Blanquerna. According to the councillor responsible for public service, Aurora Jhardi, the decision was taken by the council in response to the large number of complaints from local residents, retailers and even restaurateurs in the street and surrounding area. Jhardi, it might be recalled, had to back down and hold a referendum on the terraces along the Born avenue, having proposed that they be removed or or at least moved to one side.
It appears that restaurateurs have called for a moratorium to be held about the terraces along the Born and the Paseo Maritimo, but the council is going to deal with Blanquerna first.
Jhardi made the statement while presenting an information and awareness campaign which the council has launched at a cost of 18,000 euros. 10,000 flyers have been printed containing all the necessary information bars and restaurants need to know about having a licensed terrace.
According to the councillor, there are at least 1,600 bars and restaurants which have tables and chairs in the streets of Palma, 300 more than last year, and over 20 do not possess the necessary permission. Twelve members of the PalmaActiva agency (a town hall body for local development) are going to be distributing the flyers to residents, bars and restaurateurs in an attempt to make sure that all the terraces are in order and that the council can keep a tight grip on any new ones which have either popped up illegally or applied for permission.
Despite there being 300 more terraces, it has meant comparatively little to the council because most of the terraces are small.