The mayor of Alcudia, Antoni Mir, and three councillors travelled to Madrid on Thursday for a meeting with the national environment ministry, of which the Costas Authority is a part. The purpose was to discuss a project for the modernisation of the "balnearios", the permanent beach bars on the beach between the marina and the canal for the Lago Esperanza.
The town hall wants to activate a project that came up seven years ago. Under this, the ministry would extend the concession to the town hall for managing the balnearios by 25 years. The town hall could then put out each balneario to a new tender. This would be for periods of probably ten years, and winning bidders would also commit to paying the costs of modernisation.
At present, the town hall is given authorisation by the Costas to manage the balnearios every four years. It manages them but it doesn't operate them, as they are already contracted out. However, the four-year renewal period is considered to be too short to make it financially viable for concessionaires to invest in what would be total renovations of the balnerarios. Ten years would be far more viable in ensuring returns on investment.
The balnearios have been on the beach since the start of the 1980s. They were built according to an agreement that covered the period 1980 to 2005. They are made of wood and have a concrete base. Replacements would still be on the concrete but they would be of wood and glass and be white. Adopting this colour, the town hall believes, would make them look more modern and more attractive.