Palma town hall came under fire yesterday from the leader of the Partido Popular in the Balearics, Biel Company, for destroying small businesses. He accused the town hall administration of “sharing the same DNA” as the Balearic government and the Council of Majorca in the way in which the authority “appears to enjoy prohibiting commercial activities and persecuting small businesses”.
Company was referring to the terrace war which is continuing to rage in Palma and is soon to end up in the courts and involve the unions. Over 100 jobs will be lost in Santa Catalina alone with bars and restaurants facing a loss of more than 50 per cent of their business should the town hall go ahead with its drive to reduce the number and restrict the size of terraces in certain areas of the city centre. Company said that should the PP win the election next year “it will revoke the terraces rules in a matter of minutes and help to encourage small businesses to thrive. This is doing nothing to improve and promote Majorca as a city-break destination”.