The decision of Calvia town hall to order the closure of Magalluf's BCM is being treated with some suspicion by parts of the resort's business sector. Pepe Tirado, president of the Acotur tourist businesses association, is wondering why the town hall has moved now, just ten days before the club is due to open. "They have had all winter," notes Tirado, who is pointing to apparent "opportunism". By this, he is referring to the arrest of Tolo Cursach and to the fact that the closure relates to irregularities with building work from 2015 which was to address deficiencies that had existed since the late 1980s.
Tirado has expressed his total respect for the legal system but believes that the town hall has used the criminal proceedings against Cursach in order to effect town hall resolutions that could have been adopted much earlier than now. He also thinks that closing a club as emblematic as BCM could affect Magalluf's commercial fabric and the resort's new image.
He accepts that BCM may have its "detractors" but the club is something which is identified with Magalluf and has direct and indirect benefits for employment. The period of ten days before the club's anticipated opening, he notes, coincides with the period granted by the town hall for defects to be rectified, principally with the cooling system.
José Manuel Ruiz, leader of the Partido Popular opposition in Calvia, accepts that the club had to be closed. "There has to be compliance with regulations - without any exception." However, he is concerned, like Tirado, about the timing. "They should have made an effort to take action well before now." He is also worried about any knock-on impact on other businesses and about the town hall's urban planning department being "demonised".
In Palma, meanwhile, the town hall has informed the Cursach Group that, once deficiencies at Tito's nightclub are sorted out and it can reopen, the capacity will be 720 people. This is apparently the maximum number of people which should be allowed under the club's licence. Up to now, however, 1,200 people have been admitted. The town hall is to send written notice of this to the anti-corruption prosecutor and the investigating judge looking into Cursach affairs and police corruption in Palma. The reason for this is so that there can be an investigation into who authorised a capacity of 1,200.