Businesses in Pollensa are demanding that urgent measures be taken to alleviate the damage that has been caused to the tourism image of the municipality by issues such as work on the coastal road, problems with mobility and the delay in providing beach services.
There has been a meeting of representatives of associations for restaurants, holiday rentals businesses, retailers, residents and hoteliers. This assessed the situation in Puerto Pollensa and demanded that the town hall assumes its responsibilities and takes urgent action and establishes a proper management plan, agreed with all sectors.
The Majorca Hoteliers Federation has also been involved. It has released a statement in which it says that the town hall has caused serious harm to all economic sectors not just in Puerto Pollensa but also in Pollensa town, Cala San Vicente and Formentor.
The main problems relate to the delay in awarding the concession for sun loungers, parasols and other beach services and to the fact that the semi-pedestrianisation scheme is not finished. There is also criticism of the application of local ordinance regarding the use of the public way, which has meant that some terraces have lost tables. Furthermore, the businesses are concerned by the absence of a traffic plan and the consequent shortage of parking and difficulties with loading and unloading.
The most serious of all, though, are the beach services and the impact on some 20,000 tourists who are in the municipality on a daily basis. This has given rise to the sight of "deserted beaches" without parasols, without loungers and without basic services in the full tourism season.
The various associations describe as "incomprehensible" that a recommendation to extend existing authorisation from the Costas Authority for these services was not followed. They are referring to the fact that the town hall chose to ignore the authorisation that was valid until next year by presenting a new specification and therefore tender. "It did so, aware that all the processing would not be concluded until the end of July."
On the semi-pedestrianisation, there is additional criticism of the actual work. This is deemed to be unsatisfactory for residents and tourists alike in terms of aesthetics and quality. The businesses also point out that the work planned for the coming winter has not yet been tendered.