Palma's federation of residents associations has asked the town hall to not grant any more licences for commercial kiosks. Its president, Joan Forteza, says that the federation's criteria are "totally restrictive" in that it wants there to be a minimum number of licences. "We wouldn't give any. To give one would mean having to give them all."
He stresses that the federation has no issues with kiosks which have a social purpose, such of those for ONCE (disabled), but that these will still have to meet conditions being proposed under the new bylaw for the use of the public way. This bylaw has attracted greatest attention so far because of planned changes to terraces.
Where existing kiosks are concerned, the federation insists that bylaw compliance should mean that they are at least four metres away from public buildings, pedestrian crossings, bus stops and rubbish containers. This will be for health and safety and mobility reasons.
The federation recognises that some kiosks may have to be relocated in order to be compliant, while it also wants certain kiosks to occupy less space than at present in order to aid mobility. An example it gives is the newspaper kiosk in Plaça Mercat.