The Palma federation of residents associations has expressed its opposition to the possible increase in the number of bar/restaurant terraces and in their size. The town hall is considering these increases as a response to coronavirus.
The federation argues that if terrace space is increased, the space for pedestrians will be reduced, making it difficult for pedestrians to maintain a two-metre distance. Given current forecasts for tourism, the federation points out that "practically all available space" will be for the people of Palma and therefore believes that the request for more terrace space from the bar/restaurant sector is "a pretext to be able to achieve enlargement and to keep it".
"From our point of view," says the federation, "requesting an expansion of terraces is out of context, absurd and, above all, selfish and lacking in solidarity".
The federation also wonders how the town hall will determine 30% occupancy of terraces if there are no specifications in the public way bylaw as to the number of tables and chairs. For this reason, it wants the town hall to amend the bylaw in order to specify numbers.
In conclusion, the federation states that terraces are an important ingredient for revitalising the city so long as they respect "bylaws, the environment, coexistence, public health and safety, and an abandonment of the current economic model based on 'massification' and speculation".